AT least 30 students visited the mine site of Dinapigue Mining Corporation (DMC) to witness its agricultural practices on March 3, 2020.

The students are all enrolled in the Agricultural Crop Production NC II course offered by Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) in Dinapigue.

Jay Ar Bicera, member of the PUA Agri-Tourism & Skills Development Center Inc. and TESDA Trainer said that the mine tour program is an excellent avenue for the students to apply the lessons they learned during their classes.

The students were first taken to the Nursery where they learned about seedling propagation and the kinds of trees suited for growth in the harsh, mineralized soil around DMC such as Rubber, Bonsai, and the resilient Agoho Del Monte trees.

After their Nursery tour, they visited the Nangayuman Area, a formerly mined-out zone now turned into a tree-planting area.

Each constituent then planted their own tree to commemorate their visit to DMC and signed their names on the commemorative board.

The students then took a quick photo session at Nangayuman Falls, one of the hidden wonders of Dinapigue.

The final part of their tour was a stopover at the Agro-Farm, which is a mining area converted into an agricultural area and now provides fresh vegetables for consumption by the employees of DMC.

Bicera gave a quick lecture on what Agro-Forestry is and how mining and agriculture can indeed co-exist.

“Maraming salamat po sa inyong warm accommodation sa mga estudyante namin. Once mag-operate ang DMC, sa tingin ko ay malaki ang magiging tulong nila dahil capable sila pagdating sa agriculture,” said Bicera.

Maria Perpetua Dela Cruz, DMC Community Relations Supervisor reassured them that as constituents of Dinapigue, they are prioritized when it comes to hiring.

As a responsible mining company, DMC continuously creates opportunities to engage its stakeholders and to showcase its best environmental practices.