Regulation of small-scale mining eyed after Itogon tragedy
By XENIA RIBAYA, ABS-CBN Baguio | 10/07/2008 7:04 PM
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BENGUET - Authorities are planning to fast-track the regulation of the small-scale mining industry in the province after 16 pocket miners were trapped for over a week inside an old tunnel in Itogon town.
Gov. Nestor Fongwan said that the Sangguniang Panlalawigan will start with the profiling of mining sites. He said an amount for this has been set aside from the 2008 supplemental budget.
“Regulating the small scale mining industry is also one way of protecting the environment and the miners’ welfare,” Fongwan explained.
In line with this, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan is now drafting the governing rules and regulations pertaining to small scale mining that will be implemented by the Provincial Mining Regulatory Board.
“Nagugutom sila, they need livelihood to have something for their families. But we have to regulate them,” said Fongwan.
Itogon Mayor Mario Godio, meanwhile, expressed support for the industry’s regulation. “It’s long overdue. In fact, we should also have a regular inspection of the mines.”
Godio added that regulating the small-scale mining industry is also one way to at least make a background check of pocket miners in the region.
Meanwhile, the Mines and Geosciences Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in the Cordillera Administrative Region is willing to extend technical assistance for the said proposal.
To date, there has been no formal record as to how many pocket miners there are in the region. MGB, meanwhile, estimated at least 10,000 registered miners in Benguet.
Small-scale miners have been operating in four of Benguet's 13 towns. These are Itogon, Mankayan, Tublay and Tuba.
