The Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) Regional Office II conducted a Stakeholders Forum titled “Green and Sustainable: A Forum on Responsible Mining” in partnership with the Dinapigue Mining Corporation (DMC) and other mining companies in the region on June 27.

In attendance were stakeholders from mining companies’ host and neighboring communities, representatives from various government agencies, the academe, and the media.

“I hope that you learn more about what the mining industry does to protect the environment as part of the responsible extraction of our country’s mineral resources,” said Ancheta during his welcome remarks.

Nickel Asia Corporation IEC Manager Lira Poralan delivered a talk on how to communicate mining to the non-mining audience. In her talk, she discussed how mining companies can tailor-suit effective messaging to people not directly involved with mining and the communications challenges that the industry faces.

DMC Community Relations Manager Catherine Filler on the other hand, presented “Recycling in DMC: Giving a New Life to Waste” which focused on DMC’s best environmental practices such as transforming waste products into eco-bricks for landscaping as part of the company’s solid waste management program and how DMC transforms previous mining areas into eco-tourism hotspots.

The other speakers highlighted the pivotal role that the mining industry played in keeping the economy afloat during the time of the pandemic through direct support to their host and neighboring communities and through the mining companies’ tax contributions.

“Mining companies helped local government units and their host communities in hurdling the adverse effects of the pandemic,” said Ancheta.

The forum aims to promote responsible mining practices, environmental stewardship, and social responsibility that lead to sustainable mineral resources development in the region.