To ensure the substantial and timely validation of the performance of the mining companies in compliance with DENR Administrative Order (DAO) No. 2015-02, the Multipartite Monitoring Team of every company is required to craft a standardized Manual of Operations (MOO) subject to the approval of both Regional Directors from MGB and EMB and to be formally endorsed by Caraga Region’s Mine Rehabilitation Fund Committee (MRFC). This mandate gave rise to the unified MRFC Meeting conducted by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau Regional Office No. XIII, in coordination with the Caraga Mine Environment Management Council (CMEMC), on January 17-18, 2017 at the Gateway Hotel in Surigao City.
In keeping with the mandates of DENR Administrative Order (DAO) No. 2010-21 under the Contingent Liability and Rehabilitation Fund (CLRF) for the creation of the Mine Rehabilitation Fund Committee (MRFC) and the Multipartite Monitoring Team (MMT), the two-day activity centered on the Finalization, Deliberation and Approval of MMT Manual of Operations to enhance the monitoring scheme and validation strategy of the members of the Multipartite Monitoring Team and Mine Rehabilitation Fund Committee within Caraga Region. The first day of the activity covered the finalization of the MOO draft of each mining company which was clustered accordingly, while the following day marked the presentation of the finalized MOO along with all the highlighted concerns addressed to the unified MRFC.
The primary objective of the said activity is to finalize the MMT-MOO of each mining company as an essential guide to monitoring. In order to meet the core value of the MOO in sustaining the integrity of the EIS System and to comply with the requirements of DENR Administrative Order No. 2015-02 relating to the “Harmonization of the Implementation of the Philippine Environmental Impact Statement System and the Philippine Mining Act of 1995 in Relation to Mining Projects,” the Mines and Geosciences Bureau is mandated to monitor all the directives given under consolidated DAO No. 2010-21.
On the other hand, the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) focuses on the compliance of the company with the ECC Conditionality in accordance with the Philippine Environmental Impact Statement System (PD 1586) covering all mandates under DAO 96-37 (EIS IRR), DAO 34 & 35 (Water Standards), PD 984 (Pollution Control), RA 6969 (Toxic Wastes/Chemicals), RA 9275 (Clean Water), and RA 8749 (Clean Air).