DENR to assess 14 new mineral reservation areas

MANILA, Philippines — The government is preparing to evaluate 14 prospective mineral reservations by 2026, a move seen to unlock more value in the country’s P170.1-billion mining industry.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said it plans to assess the new mineral reservation areas and endorse three of them for declaration next year as part of its wider mineral resources development and geosciences program.

“For 2026, we plan to conduct assessment in three areas, namely Palawan, Camarines Norte and Southwest Samar, for offshore critical and strategic minerals while continuing rigorous monitoring of mining rights to ensure sustained compliance,” DENR Undersecretary Jonas Leones said at the Senate committee hearing on environment, natural resources and climate change.

Leones said the local mining sector currently covers only 2.63 percent of the Philippine land area, with 790,592 hectares under approved mining tenements.

This indicates that a vast portion of the country’s mineral-rich lands remains untapped, leaving room for new exploration and development that could further boost economic gains if managed responsibly.

The country is rich in both metallic and non-metallic minerals, with key resources including nickel, gold, copper, chromite and iron, alongside industrial minerals such as limestone, marble and silica.

Further, Leones said the bureau’s operations center is now equipped with a state-of-the-art dashboard that allows real-time monitoring of floods, landslides and incident reporting.

This means authorities can respond more quickly to environmental risks tied to mining activities, helping reduce potential damage to nearby communities and ensuring companies remain compliant with safety and environmental standards.

Alongside mineral assessments, Leones said they are also planning vulnerability assessments in 58 municipalities, hazard evaluations in 24 areas, groundwater resource studies in 50 sites and physical vulnerability mapping in 96 locations by the same year.

DENR Assistant Secretary for Policy, Planning, International Affairs and Climate Change Noralene Uy said the department is also drafting a comprehensive policy on nature-based solutions, which will include incentives for private firms in sectors such as agriculture and mining to adopt greener practices.