Big miners move to assure critics
By Janina C. Lim
Reporter
THE Chamber of Mines of the Philippines (CoMP) will investigate complaints against members and invited journalists to visit their sites, in the wake of recent criticism from within and amid uncertainty under the current administration that has threatened to crack down anew on the industry.
“There was consensus that we need to shake things up,” CoMP Executive Director Ronaldo S. Recidoro said in an interview on the sidelines of the group’s press briefing in Makati City yesterday.
“Si Mr. (former CoMP president Benjamin Philip G.) Romualdez na rin nag-decide. Sabi niya, ‘I think the first thing we shake up is leadership. I won’t run for reelection.’ Confluence of events talaga eh nangyari. He has been planning to resign for the last two years,” added Mr. Recidoro, who now also serves as officer-in-charge of the chamber in the absence of a new president.
Benguet Corp. disclosed on Aug. 24 that its board had approved “the early retirement” of Mr. Romualdez — then its president and chief executive officer (CEO) — “for health reasons” after being on leave since Jan. 27, 2014.
“Nakita ni Philip, maybe it’s time to give the chamber a fresh mandate for its membership, renewed direction at saka fresh blood. Sabi niya, “Let’s redefine our direction,” Mr. Recidoro said, recalling his dialogue with the former CoMP president.
Besides Mr. Recidoro, Nelia C. Halcon who remains as executive vice-president, and Gaspar R. Andres who stays as corporate secretary, other members of the group’s board are:
• Nickel Asia Corp. President and CEO Gerard H. Brimo as chairman, replacing Artemio F. Disini;
• OceanaGold (Philippines), Inc. Chairman Jose P. Leviste, Jr. and Sagittarius Mines, Inc. Chairman Gilberto C. Teodoro, Jr. as vice-chairmen;
• and Ramon T. Diokno as treasurer.
In the same press conference, Mr. Brimo denied speculations that the move was triggered by Apex Mining Co. Inc.’s withdrawal of its membership from the group last month after claiming that some members “paid mere lip service to responsible mining.”
Walter W. Brown, Apex Mining’s president and chief executive officer, had then “expressed his disappointment and frustration with CoMP’s response to the President (Rodrigo R. Duterte)’s call for the mining industry to clean up its act.” Big miners had been passing on the blame for damage to the environment to illegal small counterparts.
“This has been in the planning stage for quite some time,” Mr. Brimo said.
Mr. Leviste suggested during the briefing that Apex Mining’s Mr. Brown makes a formal complaint on his “serious allegations” against members concerned. That, Mr. Leviste said, should be Mr. Brown’s “next move… if he truly intends to pursue the issues he raised.”
The chamber decided to leave the position of president vacant for now, since it wanted a “person… not beholden to a company.”
“We haven’t quite decided on that yet. We’re certainly thinking about it,” Mr. Brimo said.
The group also announced its plan to form a new oversight committee which will investigate complaints against members.
“If there is an incident from any of us that is serious enough that the board of trustees feels that it should be investigated, that is where the oversight committee steps in,” Mr. Brimo said, explaining that the new body will consist of “third-party experts that are not associated with any of our member-companies.”
“And that is how you ensure that there is no conflict of interest and transparency,” he said, adding that “[o]f course, the member company [subject of a complaint] should be open to these investigations.”
Mr. Recidoro said: “We want to be faster than the MGB (Mines and Geosciences Bureau)” in acting on complaints against CoMP members, adding that members found to have violated environment preservation laws will be stripped of membership.
CoMP itself, Mr. Recidoro said, will file formal complaints with regulatory agencies and courts.
The group is also encouraging its members to adopt sustainability standards observed by the Mining Association of Canada.
Asked on a bill filed in the House of Representatives that seeks to require a legislative franchise of miners and to ban exports of ore, Mr. Brimo said the group received a copy of the proposed measure just recently and was studying it “very carefully.”
CoMP is also encouraging journalists to visit mine sites.
“We don’t want to just show you pictures,” said Mr. Brimo as the members of the group handed reporters flash drives with pictures of rehabilitated mines.
“We would like to organize for you mine tours if you’re open to this… We would be very happy to organize that for you,” he added.
“And I assure you that you will actually go and see a properly run large-scale mine. You will come out with a totally different perspective on large-scale mining.”
The mining industry has been reeling from unfriendly policies since former president Benigno S. C. Aquino III issued Executive Order No. 79 in July 2012 which stopped the approval of new projects pending the enactment of a fresh revenue-sharing scheme that will give the government a bigger slice of industry earnings.
A mining revenue bill was filed shortly before Mr. Aquino and the 16th Congress ended their terms, hence, was left in limbo.
