Eastern Samar now part of mining oversight body amid tax, social protection issues

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 22) — A provincial government dealing with mining issues is now part of Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) committees tasked to monitor tax payments, and environmental and social protection concerns.

The provincial government of Eastern Samar said Wednesday it secured seats in the Multipartite Monitoring Team (MMT) and the Mine Rehabilitation Fund (MRF) committees.

Provincial legal officer Eden Ivy Rose Balagasay said the MMT and MRF “keep an eye on the compliance of mining enterprises with the (Philippine) Mining Act as well as with the mining-related provisions of the 1991 LGC (local government code).”

Eastern Samar Gov. Ben Evardone earlier sought a “proactive bid for the provincial government to have a more effective and efficient way of overseeing the operations of miners.”

Evardone said this would also allow the oversight committee to “gain a deeper grasp of and feedback from the field on the true environmental and social impact of mining in Eastern Samar.”

The provincial government earlier told six mining firms to pay over ₱100 million in taxes to host local government units and provide environmental and social protection. Evardone said failure to comply would prompt the provincial government to ask the DENR to suspend or cancel mining permits.