Investors ask govt to review map on ‘no-go’ mining zones The Canadian Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines asked the government to freeze the declaration of more “no-go” zones, or areas where mining is prohibited. Canadian Chamber of Commerce president Julian Payne said in a speech on the third-day of the 2014 Mining Philippines Conference and Exhibition at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza about 65 percent of the Philippines’ land area was currently closed to mining. “There has been a rush in declaration of no-go zones for mining in the Philippines. This rush seems to be based more on anti-mining sentiment, than on a rational analysis and understanding of the impact on mining,” Payne said. By Anna Leah G. Estrada | Sep. 18, 2014 Payne said the government should first conduct land-use assessments for all current and proposed no-go zones. Areas not open to mining include tourism sites, protected areas, prime agricultural lands, lands covered by the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law, agri-fisheries sites and island ecosystems. “The necessary step is for a proper objective assessment of land use to be completed for all current and proposed no-go zones, at least where there are known or expected mineral resources, to establish the relative benefits of use of the land for mining versus agriculture versus tourism versus urban and industrial development,” Payne said. The Mining Industry Coordinating Council earlier completed the mapping of no-go zones in the country. Environment Secretary Ramon Paje, however, said the government was currently reviewing the no-go zone map due to some issues raised by the mining industry. Paje said in a speech read by Mines and Geosciences Bureau director Leo Jasareno when the agency subjected the first batch of nine exploration permit applications to the no-go zone map, the total open area was reduced by 50 percent.
Posted on: Fri, 19 Sep 2014 11:19:43 +0000
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