51 mining applications in Central Mindanao rejected

KORONADAL CITY ,Philippines  – The Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in Central Mindanao has disapproved 51 mining applications to purge the region of unqualified mine firms.

Constancio Paye Jr., MGB director for Central Mindanao, said the 51 mining applications were junked due to the companies’ failure to comply with some important documents like the free and prior informed consent from concerned tribal communities.

Paye said the free and prior informed consent is a document where the leaders and members of the tribal communities allow a mining firm to operate in their ancestral lands.

“It is one of the very important documents. Without it, their mining application would be rejected,” Paye said. 

Paye said the MGB-Central Mindanao is endorsing the applications of 18 mining companies to their main office in Manila for possible approval.

The STAR learned that most of the disqualified mining firms were based in Metro Manila.

“We are doing a serious study of their applications because we want to give the region true mining investors. We want to prevent the entry of unscrupulous mine firms and to make sure that only those responsible companies would be allowed to operate,” Paye said.