Governors turn down permit for ore export

CEBU, Philippines - At least three governors from Central Visayas have asked President Gloria Arroyo to order Environment Secretary Jose Atienza to recall his order requiring the issuance of a Mineral Ore Export Permit from the agency prior to the shipment of mineral ores outside the country.

Forty-two of 72-member League of Governors of the Philippines (LGP) including Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia, Bohol Gov. Erico Aumentado and Dumaguete Gov. Emilio Macias II, signed an appeal telling Arroyo that the Department Administrative Order 20-2008 of Atienza is “counter-productive and illegal”.

They also said an MOEP interferes with the power of the local governments specifically the Provincial Mining and Regulatory Boards on the issuance of Ore Transport Permits.

The administrative order also unlawfully usurps the legislative powers constitutionally vested on Congress; directly contradicts the provisions of Section 26 and 27 of the Local Government Code, particularly on the provision on decentralization and local autonomy, and adds another layer to the bureaucracy that may become a further source of corruption

“Madame President, the implementation of DAO 2008-02 will cause direct injury not only to the operations of large and small-scale mining companies, but also to the revenue collection and job generation efforts of the national and local governments,” read the governors’ appeal, a copy of which was published in national dailies yesterday.

In yesterday’s press conference, Garcia confirmed that she signed the appeal.

“I support the stand because that’s the stand of the league of the provinces,” Garcia said.

League president Misamis Oriental Gov. Loreto Leo Ocampos and 12 governors met Atienza and discussed the issue last September.

Under the current set-up, OTPs issued by the PMRBs are sufficient basis for the transport and shipment of mineral ores.

Despite the League’s strong opposition, the governors said that Atienza still refused their argument and even issued a memorandum to placate them, delegating to them the authority to issue the MOEP.

“We just believe that the administrative order needs to be further studied in the light of our respective steers of responsibility in governance,” Garcia said. — Garry B. Lao/BRP (THE FREEMAN)