HIGHLIGHTING the crucial role of the mining sector in fueling the country’s economic development and the global green transition, President Marcos said the government will further cut red tape to attract more companies to engage in responsible mining.
He said the government is now simplifying the procedures in the processing of mining applications to attract more companies.
‘There is still much to be done. And to fully attain the aspiration of this sector, we must continue to attract investors who share our values-those who respect our laws, those who respect our people, and those that respect our environment,’ the Chief Executive said in his speech during the opening of the Mining Philippines 2025 International Conference and Exhibition in Taguig City on Wednesday.
Mining are required to comply with the country’s international environment commitments including the Paris Agreement and the Philippine Energy Plan, to be allowed to operate locally, the President said.
‘We must power the future without endangering the earth that sustains us,’ Marcos said.
‘We will strictly enforce the laws against practices that destroy forests, that poison rivers, that endanger lives. Mining should build communities, not burden them,’ he added.
He lauded the initiative of the Chamber of Mines of the Philippines to raise the environmental protection standards of its members through their voluntary compliance on the Towards Sustainable Mining Program-a global benchmark for environmental, social, and governance standards.
‘The Philippines stands proud as the first in Asia to implement this program, joining countries like Canada and Australia [in] upholding ethical practice,’ Marcos said.
The passage of new laws, Marcos said, such as the Enhanced Fiscal Regime for Large-Scale Metallic Mining Act and the Philippine Ecosystem and Natural Capital Accounting System Act, will ensure that revenues from mining activities will be transparent, benefit the affected communities, and be sustainable.
He said mining operators are now also required to align their Social Development and Management Programs with national and global development frameworks, to ensure they contribute to the country’s implementation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
‘The wealth from our soil should translate into schools for our children, hospitals for families, and roads that link people to opportunities,’ Marcos said.
‘Sustainability, after all, is measured by how many lives we uplift and how faithfully we guard the blessings of our land for the generations to come,’ he added.
Marcos said the government will make sure mining operators will generate decent jobs and the minerals used for the emerging green industry such as the production of electric vehicles, batteries, and new clean energy technologies.
‘To be given this much potential is both a blessing and a responsibility. We are offered the chance to help power the global green transition, and to ensure that this progress uplifts every Filipino, especially those who live closest to the mines themselves,’ Marcos said.