MGB News

MGB ROII employees hurdle ENR Academy

Posted October 6, 2021

Tuguegarao City, Cagayan- Planning Officer II Diana Imie B. Estrada and Engineer II Kyrie Afidchao graduated as Valedictorian and Salutatorian, respectively in the recently concluded ENR Academy Program led by Department of Environment and Natural Resources Regional Office No. II.

The ENR academy is a development program of the Department to augment knowledge gaps, instill understanding of ENR laws to DENR employees especially the frontline offices to improve delivery of public service.

It is composed of five courses: Executive Course, Management Course, Supervisory Course, Basic Course and Frontline Course. Each course has distinct modules which also varies according to level of participation.

Other MGB ROII employees also hurdled the ENR academy, Administrative Assistant III Felipe Neil Pintucan, Jr. Administrative Assistant II Luisa C. Guzman, Cartographer II Janet Talattad, and Administrative Assistant I Carla Talbo.

Mining company funds arboretum

Posted: August 2, 2021

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In a bid to conserve native plant species in Region 2, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) recently signed a pact with a mining firm for the establishment of an arboretum in Nueva Vizcaya province.

The memorandum of agreement was signed by DENR Regional Executive Director Gwendolyn Bambalan and FCF Minerals Country Manager James Carmichael in the presence of Mines and Geosciences Bureau Regional Director Mario Ancheta, Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer Edgar Martin, Community Environment and Natural Resources (CENR) Officer Giovannie Magat, and Leopoldo Castro Jr. of FCF Minerals.

The FCF Minerals Corporation, a British-owned firm operating the Runruno Gold-Molybdenum Project in Quezon town, will provide 300,000 pesos per year for the establishment, protection and maintenance of the arboretum for five years.

It shall conduct monitoring activities and attend meetings to assess the development of the arboretum.

For its part, the DENR shall be responsible in the site preparation, planting and maintenance and protection of the arboretum

The three-hectare provincial arboretum houses endemic and indigenous forest tree species such as Narra, Dao, Yakal, Molave, Kamagong, Kalumpit, Anilau, Panglomboien, Tuai and Philippine Teak.

Established at the Ecological Park and Training Center at CENR office in Aritao, the arboretum will serve as source of quality planting materials, an ecotourism site and educational laboratory.

The Forest Management Bureau has earlier directed the establishment of arboretum to enhance the implementation of the National Greening Program by planting endemic trees that best thrive in the region, province or municipality.#

No demolished house in Vizcaya mine site- DENR

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in Cagayan Valley has assured the public that no residential house was demolished in the recent dismantling operations against small-scale mining activities in Brgy. Runruno, Quezon in Nueva Vizcaya.

On July 27-29, the joint operation conducted by the DENR, Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), National Bureau of Investigation, Philippine National Police and Armed Forces of the Philippines has dismantled various illegal mining equipment within the area covered by the Financial or Technical Assistance Agreement of the FCF Minerals Corporation.

The team confiscated numerous ball mills, shafting, diesel engines, pulleys and other equipment used in the unauthorized mining activities in the said barangay.

Following the dismantling operation, DENR Regional Executive Director Gwendolyn Bambalan and MGB Regional Director Mario Ancheta conducted monitoring visit at the mining area.

During the visit, FCF Mine Operations Manager Allan Day reported that there are some illegal mining equipment that have not been confiscated thus another dismantling operation is required.

According to Director Ancheta, the small-scale miners who were identified to be illegal settlers continued to resist the MGB’s order to vacate and leave the area.

Recalling the fatal landslides that claimed the lives of 10 individuals in November last year, the DENR Cagayan Valley environment chief urged the FCF Minerals to facilitate the final negotiation with the remaining illegal settlers.

“Those individuals have no right over the land and their resettlement is also for their safety and protection,” Director Bambalan said.

She emphasized that the government and the FCF Minerals are now offering win-win solution. “However the DENR will resort to filing of cases against those individuals if they will not comply despite the negotiations and compensations,” the regional environment chief said.

The DENR has earlier requested the mining firm to provide financial assistance in the relocation of the informal settlers.

“We appreciate the approval of our request although FCF has been providing funds to support the relocation, but some of the families returned to the area,” Director Bambalan said.

To date, a total of 40 cases have been filed by the DENR against illegal settlers.

DENR Assistant Regional Director Marcos Dacanay, Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer Edgar Martin and other regional and provincial key officials joined the monitoring activity.#

OceanaGold to resume mining operations in Vizcaya

Tuguegarao City, Cagayan- the Philippine government renewed the financial or technical assistance agreement (FTAA) of OceanaGold Philippines Corporation in Didipio, Kasibu, Nueva Vizcaya.

The FTAA was renewed retroactively from June 19, 2019 until 2044 with unchanged financial terms and conditions.

OceanaGold said in a statement, “The Company’s first operational priority is the rehiring and training of its Philippine workforce, which will include a focus on safeguarding workers from the current risks associated with COVID-19.”

It aims to restarts its operation “as soon as possible,” it will initially resume with the milling of stockpiled ore of about 19 million tonnes.

FCF leads mushroom production training

Posted: April 30, 2021

Tuguegarao City, Cagayan- FCF Minerals Corporation in Runruno, Nueva Vizcaya in partnership with Nueva Vizcaya Mushroom Growers Association (NVMGA) spearheaded a mushroom production training for the residents of Barangay Runruno.

The training tackled preparation of mushroom housing and bed, maintenance and cost and return analysis.

The training aims to impart technical knowledge of edible mushroom production as an alternative livelihood project for the residents of Brgy. Runruno. RUNRUNO

- with reports from FCF Minerals Corporation

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