Tawi-Tawi miners focus on projects amid nickel extraction ban Primary tabs

COTABATO CITY, Philippines - Miners continued with their environmental rehabilitation and social projects in Tawi-Tawi despite the suspension for more than two months now of nickel extraction in one of the island towns there.

Hadji Kahal Kedtag, regional natural resources secretary of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), on Saturday said miners in Languyan town in Tawi-Tawi have religiously been keeping up with their obligation to engage in projects benefiting the local communities.

The mining firms Dasussalam Mining Co., which has a “mining production sharing agreement” with the Al Tawi-Tawi Nickel Group; the Singcara Mining and Development Corp., which has a “mines operating agreement” with the Pax Libera Mining Inc.; and the Chan C. Mining, which has a “deed of assignment partnership” with the Hikanjay Mining Inc., have all stopped operating in Languyan on order of the ARMM regional government.

One of the objectives in suspending nickel extraction activities in Languyan was to allow experts and environmentalists to freely study the compliance by these mining firms with all regulations and environmental protection and rehabilitation obligations stipulated in their contracts with government.

The evaluation process, initiated by outsiders commissioned by the ARMM government, had been accomplished, according to Kedtag.

“We shall make the evaluation report public very soon in keeping with the transparency policy of the present ARMM administration,” Kedtag said.

Kedtag said the mining firms that operated in Languyan are busy in rehabilitating the surroundings of their designated extraction sites.

“There are tree planting activities there and some flood and soil erosion control projects are being implemented despite the suspension of their operation,” Kedtag said.

Kedtag said Regional Governor Mujiv Hataman, who is exercising ministerial control over the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-ARMM, fully supports the environmental protection thrusts of DENR Secretary Regina Paz “Gina” Lopez and Malacañang.