MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Jan. 15 (PIA) --- The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) is working on an environmental code for the region that includes a pro-people mining law, an environment official said.
“Itong mining law na ginagawa namin napakaganda kasi para sa masa,” (the mining law that we are formulating is very good for the masses), said Secretary Kahal Kedtag of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)-ARMM.
He lauded the participation of environment groups and civil society organizations led by Fr. Eliseo “Jun” Mercado of the Foundation for Philippine Environment in a three-day consultative review on the mining law draft.
He said the grassroots consultation and a multipartite dialogue that have been conducted ensure community participation in the drafting of the bill.
Among the civil society groups who took part in the review were the Tawi-Tawi Alliance of CSOs, the Nagdilaab Foundation, SALLAM, and the Foundation for Philippine Environment.
“The draft is the result of our consultations. Our goal is to introduce a law for responsible mining in ARMM,” Kedtag said.
He said Assemblyman Kahar Ibay will sponsor the proposed legislation at the Regional Legislative Assembly.
The mining industry in ARMM had posted revenue of around P140 million in regional wealth tax from the 2012 to the 1st semester of 2014. (Bureau of Public Information-ARMM/APB/PIA-10
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