By Aurea Calica (The Philippine Star)
Updated October 06, 2012 12:00 AM
MANILA, Philippines - President Aquino
approved yesterday the final version of the implementing rules and regulations
of the mining policies under Executive Order No. 79, allowing the expansion of
mining and cement areas under Section 7 to avoid “economic dislocation.”
Presidential Communications
Development and Strategic Planning Office Secretary Ricky Carandang said the
President met with the Mining Industry Coordinating Council composed of Finance
Secretary Cesar Purisima, Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Ramon
Paje, Energy Secretary Jose Rene Almendras, Presidential Assistant for Climate
Change secretary Elisea Gozon, Solicitor General Francis Jardeleza and
executive secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. yesterday afternoon in Malacañang to
finalize the IRR.
Carandang said that the approved
version would be the final revision and that there would still be no automatic
renewal of mining permits after 25 years of operation.
He said expansion of mining and cement
areas was allowed as any prevention might have economic repercussions on the
companies.
“I believe these clarifications in the
IRR will resolve the issues raised by certain industry groups. It’s not exactly
what they want but at least it provides clarity,” Carandang said.
“We don’t anticipate anymore
revisions. The President approved the changes,” he said.
Big mining firms earlier said they
would still want a dialogue with the government to thresh out revisions to the
IRR which they claimed were still full of “constitutional infirmities” and not
conducive to private investment or doing business in the country.
Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda
said the government changed the IRR but could not adopt automatic renewal of
mining contracts because of possible deficiencies incurred during operations.
“And (if) you fail to correct those deficiencies, how can you be expect to be
granted an automatic renewal?” he said.
“Once deficiencies are corrected then
perhaps, the license or the - I’m not so clear how do you call that - that
right, particular right can be renewed. But, certainly, we have to look into it
if there were deficiencies committed and if there are none, then there should
be no cause for concern for the mining companies,” Lacierda said.
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