RCSD holds mine tour

By: Lyndee Rose S. Basilio

Tuguegarao City, Cagayan- Members of the Regional Committee on Sustainable Development (RCSD) of the Regional Development Council (RDC) in coordination with Mines and Geosciences Bureau Region 02 (MGB R02) recently conducted a mine tour last October 16, 2014 in Didipio Mine of Oceana Gold Philippines.

The Mine tour was conducted to show how the mining companies implement measures on how to preserve and to protect the environment, Maribeth Tumaliuan Mining Claims Examiner III of MGB R02 said.

Tumaliuan added that the RCSD visited the mining site of Oceana Gold Corporation to let them appreciate and validate mining operations and to compare it with the operations of other companies including small scale mining.

She further said that it is the agency’s way to address environmental concerns and to ensure that large scale mining operations in the region adhere to safe environmental standards

The Didipio Mine is the first mine company in the Philippines to operate under the Financial or Technical Assistance Agreement (FTAA), it is an agreement between contractor and the Government for large-scale exploration of copper, nickel, chromite, lead, and other minerals except for cement raw materials, marble granite, sand and gravel and construction aggregates.

30 participants that include RCSD members Co-chaired by Ms. Perla Visorro, founder of Cagayan Valley Partners in People Development (CAVAPPED) and National Economic Development Authority Region 02(NEDA R02) RSCD secretariats participated in the mine tour.

Part of the mine tour was AVP presentation on Social Development and Management Program (SDMP) and Didipio Project Overview and Safety Induction of Oceana Gold. After the mine tour, an open forum was conducted to address the participants’ observations and issues regarding the mining operations.