OceanaGold bags top pollution control award

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines – As a result of efforts to mitigate the effects of climate change, OceanaGold Philippines Inc., based in the mountain village of Didipio in Kasibu town, has been awarded for excellence in environment stewardship.

Engineer Jason Magdaong, OceanaGold Philippines environment manager, bested other pollution control officers in the country during the 36th National Annual Convention and General Assembly of Pollution Control Association of the Philippines Inc. (PCAPI).

Around 200 participating companies from all over the country attended the event, which highlighted the role of pollution control officers in sustainability.

Magdaong was awarded the General Guillermo Pecache Award as the top PCO for his leadership in the implementation of OceanaGold’s Environmental Management System at the Didipio Mine and its adjacent communities.

PCAPI president Joseph Dinglasan said Magdaong garnered the highest points among PCO contenders coming from various industries throughout the country.

The award was created in honor of then National Pollution Control Commission Commissioner Pecache and is given to those who embody excellence in environmental stewardship.

Dinglasan said the evaluation covered the environmental performance of the contenders’ companies for the past three years.

Environmental programs implemented by OceanaGold in the past three years included the construction and commissioning of overhead power lines replacing the utilization of diesel-powered generator sets reducing operation’s carbon footprint.

OceanaGold also operates the US$6.1 million-worth water treatment plant improving water balance and conducted progressive rehabilitation of land area within the Financial or Technical Assistance Agreement area and actively participates in the National Greening Program of the government.

As one of the resource speakers at the three-day convention, Magdaong presented the Environmental Protection Initiatives from the Mining Sector under the Climate Change and Disaster Management session. He also shared OceanaGold’s environmental management system that aims to exceed compliance requirements by adopting the most innovative and sustainable practices.

His presentation accentuated the company’s stature as a recipient of the 2015 Presidential Mineral Industry Environmental Award.

PCPI is a non-stock, non-profit and non-government organization formed in June 1980 through the initiative of Pecache to work hand in hand with the government in the protection of the environment, prevention, abatement and control of land, air and water pollution.