The Mines and Geosciences Bureau Regional Office No. XIII, in cooperation with the Community Relations, Education and Development Officers Organization (CREDO) Caraga, Inc., conducted the SDMP Rollout-Consultation and Reorientation on December 1-2, 2017 at the Parklane International Hotel in Cebu City.
Representatives of Caraga local government units, Community Relations Officers and official representatives of mining companies and processing plants, together with the Social Development Section personnel of MGB RXIII, took part in the activity. The Department of the Interior and Local Government – Caraga Regional Office also participated in the activity.
The training was facilitated by Dr. Rolando Cuaño and Ms. Marita Cuaño of BMP Environment and Community Care, Inc. in response to the program of Regional Director Roger A. De Dios to capacitate the Social Development and Management Program (SDMP) workforce of mining companies and processing plants as well as the regulatory agency which is the Mines and Geosciences Bureau.
Aimed at making the implementation of SDMP more systematic and sustainable and giving more emphasis to the livelihood component of the program, the training attained the following objectives:
- Review the SDMP definition and the prescriptions of law and implementing rules and regulations
- Distinguish the SDMP from other assistance programs or development plans
- Consider the various findings and recommendations on the SDMP
- Appreciate the key elements for a recalibrated SDMP – the tool to ensure that mining benefits the farmers and fishers, the marginalized and the disadvantaged
- Best use of the SDMP for the sustained improvement of human well-being beyond mine closure
To intensify the participants’ knowledge of the foundations and dynamics of the Social Development and Management Program, Dr. Rolando Cuaño and Ms. Marita Cuaño discussed the following topics at length:
- The Social Development and Management Program
- SIA of Mining Projects and SDMP Performance Review
- Target Beneficiaries of the SDMP
- Ensuring Sustainability in the SDMP
- Development Partnerships
During the activity, Dir. De Dios extensively discussed the SDMP Framework. He gave emphasis to the importance of strict monitoring of mining operations, imposition of penalties on violations and immediate remediation of damages.
The participants actively took part in the open forums after the series of lectures and presentations. Towards the end of the activity, the participants shared their insights and learnings.
