Published: April 1, 2014
Environmental risks and foregone government revenues have triggered a public-private think tank to back legislative reforms on the People’s Small Scale Mining Act of 1991, and recommends tougher government regulation on illegal small-scale mining.
The Philippine Business for Environmental Stewardship (PBEST), comprised of policy experts, government stakeholders and members of the academe, is pushing for the amendment of Republic Act (RA) 7076, known as the People’s Small Scale Mining Act of 1996.
The move aims put teeth on current regulations governing small-scale mining activities, which according to PBEST convener Carlos Primo David, gives rise to serious environmental hazards.
“The rampant illegal small-scale mining activities are a serious environmental risk in the areas where these activities are being tolerated. Illegal mining operators have been known to ignore the environmental regulations and even employ child labor in the most hazardous conditions,” he said.
David underscored the importance of responsible small-scale mining, saying that these activities produce half of the country’s gold output and is the main source for the central bank’s reserves.
However, these resources are being drained away due to irresponsible practices in the industry and smuggling.
Notably, David stressed that a properly regulated mining industry may benefit communities by way of the improved tax collection of the government, which may be channeled to vital development areas such as infrastructure, health and education.
Leaving small-scale mining to illegal operators will mean losing hundreds of millions in unpaid taxes and permanent damage to the environment caused by unsafe mining practices, according to the news statement.
To this end, PBEST is advocating that certain provisions of the RA 7076 be improved to ensure compliance from small-scale mining operators.
David noted that under the prevailing law, governing bodies do not have the necessary police powers to control intractable small-scale miners, nor are they equipped to assess environmental damage.
Additionally, there exist conflicting legal measures which assign different bodies the task of issuing permits to small-scale miners, a problem that causes conflict and confusion among the authorities.
“We shall actively push for these reforms in both houses of Congress and with the relevant government agencies,” David said.
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