DAVAO CITY, Jan. 27 – The group of four officials tasked by President Benigno Aquino III to craft a comprehensive mining policy has already come up with recommendations, Elisea Gozun, Presidential Adviser on Climate Change, said.
Gozun, who is one of the members of the group of four, said they already submitted to the President their recommendation early this year. The group received the task/directive in October last year.
Aquino tasked Environment Secretary Ramon Paje, Presidential Advisers Neric Acosta and Gozun and Climate Change Commission head Mary Ann Lucille Sering to come up with a comprehensive mining policy.
Aquino earlier made a stand to protect mining investments and fully addressing the issues confronting the Philippine minerals industry.
In an interview with reporters here Thursday in time for the 2012 International Conference on Mining in Mindanao at the Ateneo de Davao University, Gozun said the recommendations they submitted are "in line with the thrust of the Aquino administration toward sustainable development which will ensure long term economic development and not degrade the environment that truly benefit the people."
She said a thorough study was made by the group to come up with the said recommendations.
However, she declined to give details about the study as it is now with the Office of the President.
Gozun made the statement during the said conference that aimed to push government to come up with policy reforms in mining activities that are pro-environment and pro-people.
Gozun was among the invited speakers in the two-day conference.
She said she supports the call of the anti-mining groups for government to craft policies that would ensure responsible mining in the country.
Although these groups specifically train their guns on large-scale commercial mining corporations, Gozun clarified that unregulated small-scale mining activities "contribute the same damage, that's why they should also observe responsible mining".
Gozun also said that there is a need to clearly define small scale mining.
Meanwhile, Gozun admitted that government has not really gone through yet on the proper pricing of the country's mineral resources, an issue that was raised as one of the problems in Philippine mining and a significant factor toward responsible mining to figure out the benefits that the Filipino people should gain and not be given out to multinational mining capitalists.
Gozun however assured that President Aquino has already approved a proposed project on total economic valuation.
“This way, the government can properly know the exact pricing of the country's mineral resources,” she said. (PNA) LAP/LAM/Judy G. Quiros/ldp