MindaNews » SouthCot tightens monitoring on small-scale miners.

By Allen V. Estabillo
February 23, 2012

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews/22 February) – The provincial government of South Cotabato has created a special body that will regularly look into the compliance of small-scale mining operations and other industries in the province to local and national environmental laws and regulations.

In an executive order, South Cotabato Gov. Arthur Pingoy Jr. directed the activation of the provincial environmental impact assessment (EIA) multisectoral monitoring team in a bid to ensure the strict enforcement of the province’s Environment Code and other existing environmental policies.

The EIA multisectoral monitoring team will mainly function as a “law enforcement” mechanism as provided for under Section 112 of Ordinance No. 4 or the Provincial Environment Code, he said.

Under Executive Order No. 4, which was issued by the governor last Jan. 23, the team will be headed by the chair of the provincial board’s environment committee.

It will also involve the Provincial Environment Management Office (PEMO), the Provincial Mining Regulatory Board, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ Mines and Geosciences Bureau and the Environmental Management Bureau, city and municipal environment and natural resources offices, academe, non-government or social development organizations and industry stakeholders.

Pingoy said they pushed for the activation of the monitoring team to keep an eye on the ongoing small-scale mining operations in the province, which is centered in the gold rush village of Kematu and Desawo in T’boli town.

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