‘President Aquino should recognize PH’s real problems’  (Inquirer) Published: August 2, 2014 President Benigno Aquino III is in the best position to push reforms, but many local political reform advocates think the President does not even recognize the country’s real problems. Chief among these problems is the need to establish real political parties as today’s […]

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Group urges P-Noy to focus more on power generation and job creation (Business Mirror) | Published: Aug 27, 2014 CIVIL-SOCIETY group Citizenwatch, with the participation of Philippine Business for Environmental Stewardship, has proposed several action plans that the Aquino administration should focus on in its last two years in office, particularly in the areas of power generation […]

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NGO seeks transparency in mining production reports (Manila Bulletin)

Published: June 11, 2014 An environmental NGO is pushing for the implementation of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) to accurately determine the actual tax revenues from mining projects based on certifiable data.   According to Atty. Ysan Castillo, Secretary General of PBEST, applying the international standards of  EITI should give government and all stakeholders of […]

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Implementation of extractive industries initiative pushed (The Philippine Star)

Published: May 29, 2014  An environmental non-government organization is pushing for the implementation of the extractive industries transparency initiative (EITI) to accurately determine the actual tax revenues from mining projects based on certifiable data.   Lawyer Ysan Castillo, secretary general of Philippine Business Environment Stewardship, said the government should grant all stakeholders of mining a […]

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Government, mining firms in tentative revenue-share pact (BusinessMirror)

Published: 27 May 2014  The government is pushing for a bill fixing the revenue-sharing scheme for mining concessions at a rate of either 10 percent of the gross revenues or 50 percent of the net revenues, according to the Department of Finance (DOF).   Finance Undersecretary Jeremias Paul said the Mining Industry Coordinating Council (MICC) […]

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Fact-finding mission of large mines on (Inquirer)

Published May 5, 2014 A pro-business lobby group will conduct a series of fact finding missions to study the environmental and social development commitments of large-scale mining operations. In a statement, the Philippine Business for Environmental Stewardship (Pbest) said it recently visited the biggest mining operations in the country as part of ongoing studies to […]

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Philex, Environmental Biz Group Link Up for ‘Pusong Luntian Eco-Forum’ (InterAksyon.com)

April 23, 2014  Philex senior vice-president for corporate affairs Michael Toledo, Climate Change Commission Secretary Lucille Sering, House Committee on Ecology chairman Congressman Amado Bagatsing, PBEST secretary general Lysander Castillo, and Department of Environment and Natural Resources Environmental Management Bureau media production specialist Winnie Passe perform a symbolic stopping of the climate change clock to […]

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Climate Change Commission Prods Private Sector to Undergo Disaster Preparedness Review (Business Mirror)

Published: April 22, 2014 The Climate Change Commission (CCC) on Monday urged the private sector to volunteer for vulnerability assessment to strengthen capabilities for disaster preparedness, as well as that of the communities where they operate in the face of the worst impacts of climate change. The call was made by CCC Vice Chairman Lucille […]

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PBEST Launches Fact-Finding Mission on Large-Scale Mines (Manila Bulletin)

Published: April 22, 2014 A multi-sectoral group led by the Philippine Business for Environmental Stewardship (PBEST) has launched the first leg of a series of fact-finding missions to study the environmental and social development commitments of large-scale mining operations. PBEST Secretary General Atty. Lysander Castillo said the group has recently visited the biggest mining operations […]

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