The Alyansa Tigil Mina Blog

http://business.inq7.net/money/breakingnews/view_article.php?article_id=10410
Inquirer
07/18/2006

THE Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) and mining experts said Monday they expected more investments in mining stocks with the crafting of a code that would align public reporting of exploration results, mineral resources and ore reserves with global standards.

Mining experts attending a media briefing held by the PSE said the government and the private sector hoped to complete the draft of a Philippine Mineral Reporting Code (PMRC) by yearend.
They said the code would be similar to Australia’s Joint Ore Reserve Committee code.

An official of the Philippine Mineral Development Institute Foundation said that at present the Philippines had no standards for public reporting of mineral exploration activities, mineral and energy resources and ore reserves. (more…)

http://newsinfo.inq7.net/inquirerheadlines/regions/view_article.php?article_id=10378
By Melvin Gascon
Inquirer
07/18/2006

BAYOMBONG, NUEVA VIZCAYA—For the first time in more than a decade, residents of a small mining village in upland Kasibu town have agreed to come together to discuss the issues that have divided their community.

The National Commission on Indigenous Peoples on Friday convened villagers opposed to and in favor of a proposed large scale mining project in Barangay Didipio to begin a series of dialogues meant to unite their village.

Victor Calingayan, NCIP provincial director, said that with the dialogues, the villagers would trace the roots of disputes that have escalated since Australasia Philippines Mining Inc. (Apmi) began pushing its planned gold-copper venture there. (more…)

http://opinion.inq7.net/inquireropinion/letterstotheeditor/view_article.php?article_id=10188

Inquirer
07/17/2006

IN THE INTEREST OF FAIRNESS AND balanced reporting, allow me to clarify certain points raised in the news story titled “Mining permits issued by gov, says labor group.” (PDI, 7/4/06) The story was not only grossly unfair to our governor, it was also misleading, to say the least. It did not present our side of the story. The governor could have shed light on the allegations raised against her.

The power of the provincial governor to issue permits and licenses is clearly provided for by the Local Government Code and Sec. 71 of the Philippine Mining Act of 1995:
“Any qualified person may apply for a quarry permit with the Provincial Governor/City Mayor through the Provincial/City Mining Regulatory Board for the extraction, removal and disposition of quarry resources covering an area of not more than five (5) hectares for a term of five years from date of issuance.” (more…)

http://opinion.inq7.net/inquireropinion/columns/view_article.php?article_id=10182
By Neal Cruz
Inquirer
07/17/2006

THE LATEST BATTLE OF BIAK NA BATO IS over. Environment Secretary Angelo T. Reyes ended it by stopping all marble quarry operations at the site of the national park in the municipalities of Doña Remedios Trinidad and San Miguel in Bulacan.

There is some sort of a “gold rush” for miners there, except that they are not mining for gold but for the rare—and therefore very expensive—tea rose marble. It is the curse of Biak na Bato that instead of being made up of ordinary rock, the entire hill is made up of this unique marble that is much in demand in the international market. (more…)

http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2006/july/18/yehey/prov/20060718pro5.html

Legazpi City: While most of the prelates, clergies and civic organizations in Bicol are strongly opposed to the 30-day test run of the Rapu-Rapu mining operation of Lafayette Philippines, Inc., Bishop Jesus Varela, bishop emeritus of Sorsogon, said that the new Filipino management must be given a chance to conduct responsible mining.

Varela, who served as prelate in Sorsogon for 18 years, visited the mining site in Rapu-Rapu on Saturday to check if the risks of mining in the island town could be avoided and substantially mitigated. (more…)

By Marit Stinus-Remonde
http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2006/july/18/yehey/opinion/20060718opi5.html

MINING projects are usually found in the most remote mountainous areas inhabited by marginalized farmers and indigenous people. This is not necessarily because these are the only areas with mineral deposits. The value of what will be destroyed by the mining operation is simply less, from an economic point of view, than the revenues and profits to be generated. Economist Bernardo Villegas, quoted in Philippine Star, pointed out the obvious that “mining is usually in the boondocks.” A majority of the poor are in the rural areas, Dr. Villegas said, and in his opinion neither agriculture nor manufacturing has the potential to bring progress to these areas. Mining has. (more…)

http://www.philstar.com/philstar/NEWS200607189906.htm

The Philippine Star 07/18/2006

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya — The National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) has been calling for an audit of the supposed share of the tribal folk from the operation of the US-owned and operated Casecnan multi-purpose irrigation and power project here.

Ruben Bastero, NCIP director for Cagayan Valley, said the residents in the project’s impact zone should have a share in the P250-million real property tax the California Energy (Cal-Energy) had paid last year for operating the irrigation and power project in Alfonso Castaneda town here.

Cal-Energy owns and operates the Casecnan project. (more…)

http://www.philstar.com/philstar/NEWS200607180707.htm
By Zinnia B. Dela Peña
The Philippine Star 07/18/2006

The working group composed of representatives from the private sector and the government expects to come out with the final draft of its proposed reporting standards for mining companies before the end of the year.

In a briefing with reporters yesterday, Rudy Obial, a trustee of the Philippine Minerals Development Institute Foundation, said there is an urgent need to draw up a Philippine standard code for public reporting of mineral energy resources, ore reserves and exploration results in view of increasing investments in the minerals sector.

“There’s a deluge of foreign investments in the local mining sector. We never had Chinese investors before. I believe it would help if we put in place a set of standards for the mining industry. It may be late but the need for that is quite urgent,” Obial said. (more…)

http://www.philstar.com/philstar/NEWS200607180706.htm
By Rocel C. Felix
The Philippine Star 07/18/2006

Crew Mineral Philippines Inc. (CMPI), the local unit of Canadian mining company Crew Gold which controls Apex Mining Co. Inc. (Apex) in Compostela Valley North Davao, is reviving plans to bid for North Davao Mining Corp. (NDMC) which is scheduled for privatization this year by Natural Resources Mining Development Corp. (NRMDC).

“It will be advantageous to government if Apex is finally allowed to operate it, something will happen tomorrow because we are already there and we have all the facilities and the workforce,” said CMPI managing director Leo Cleto A. Gamolo. (more…)