DENR cancels ECCs of 6 mining firms

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Environment and Natural Resources has cancelled the environmental compliance certificates of six companies that included four mining firms, one housing developer and one resort developer after they reportedly failed to meet the conditions indicated in their respective ECCs.

DENR Secretary Gina Lopez has cancelled the ECC of Austral-Asia (Mining Corp.) after putting Mt. Hamiguitan (a UNESCO World Heritage site), the Philippine Eagle and trees in the area, at risk. The mining firm operates in Sitio Salingcomot, Bgy. Macambol in Mati City.

Lopez said the mining firm is “sandwiched” between two protected areas, referring to Mount Hamiguitan and Pujada Bay. “Because they don¹t have a place to put their stockpile, species in the area are affected. It was also not indicated in the company¹s environmental impact assessment how they intend to treat their stockpile,” she said.

ECCs of three other mining companies such as the Ipilan Nickel Project, Lupon Mining, and Nickel Deposit Mining were also cancelled because their ECCs lapsed.

The ECC of Century Communities Corp., a property developer in Quezon City was also cancelled for not complying with the requirements of a groundwater survey. The housing project reportedly affected the La Mesa Eco-Watershed, a protected area. Century reportedly failed to submit an enhanced revised monitoring plan, ground modeling studies to assess water availability and ground water contamination.

Sacobia Sun Valley Resort in Mabalacat, Pampanga and MRL-Egerton Gold Philippines also had their permits cancelled.

MRL-Egerton Gold Philippines is engaged in gold mining in Lobo, Batangas, one of the coastal towns straddling the Verde Island Passage. The area encompasses 29,000 hectares of the Lobo town.

Environmentalists said the wastes generated by the mine found their way to Lobo rivers, effectively draining into the VIP.

DENR Undersecretary for Legal Affairs Ipat Luna said Egerton failed to come up with an environmental impact assessment, one of the requirements under the ECC.

Show-cause orders were likewise issued to 11 mining companies which include SMTC Chromite Mining and Trading project, consolidation of quarry projects of Mindanao Portland Cement Corp., an iron ore pelletizing plant project, a proposed limestone, pozzolan and associate minerals quarry project, a cement plant and power plant project, Bulalacao Coal Mining project, Iron Ore Mining Corp., a smelting plant project, Wellex Area II Mining project, Barobo Alluvial Gold Mining project, and a veneer manufacturing expansion project.

The companies were given seven days to explain why their ECCs should not be cancelled and why no administrative fine should be imposed on them.