ISANG MAKA-KALIKASANG HAPON PO SA ATING LAHAT! (AN ENVIRONMENT-FRIENDLY AFTERNOON TO YOU ALL!)

I THINK THAT PHILIP ROMUALDEZ AND BETH ROXAS SAID IT ALL IN THEIR STATEMENTS YESTERDAY AFTERNOON THE FACT THAT WE ARE STILL HERE SIGNIFIES OUR WILLINGNESS AND RESOLVE TO ENGAGE IN A MEANINGFUL DIALOGUE AND REACH A COMMON GROUND.

WE JUST HAVE TO KEEP ON TRYING AND MOVE ON FROM HERE. I BELIEVE THAT WHAT WE WENT THROUGH IS GENUINE CONSULTATION, GUIDED BY THE PARAMETERS OF PARTICIPATION AND TRANSPARENCY IN THE SPIRIT OF GOOD GOVERNANCE.

WE WERE FREE TO ARGUE OUR POINTS, AND THE OPENNESS THAT WE SHOWED IN STRESSING OUR CAUSES SPEAKS WELL OF OUR INTENTIONS TO REACH OUT AND CONVERGE. I WAS TELLING OUR FOREIGN FRIENDS THAT WHAT HAPPENED YESTERDAY WAS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF DEMOCRACY IN ACTION IN THE PHILIPPINS. LEVELLING OF WAS ATTAINED AS I SEE IT, AND IT SHOULD NOW BE EASIER FOR US TO CONTINUALLY ENGAGE AS THE NEED MAY ARISE.

THIS NATIONAL MINING CONFERENCE SUCCEEDED IN PROVIDING A PUBLIC FORUM TO SHOW AND DEFINE WHERE WE ARE COMING FROM. IT HAS BECOME CLEARER WHY THE INDUSTRY INSISTS ON A PROSPEROUS MINERALS INDUSTRY; IT HAS ALSO BECOME CLEARER WHY CIVIL SOCIETY INSISTS ON THE TERMS OF ENVIRONMENTAL INTEGRITY AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT.

THE INTERNATIONAL DIMENSION OF THE CONFERENCE BROADENED OUR PERSPECTIVES. WE HAVE ALWAYS SUBMITTED OURSELVES TO THE LEARNING PROCESS, IN THE HOPE THAT THE LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE EXPERIENCES OF OTHER COUNTRIES WHO HAVE GONE AHEAD OF US CAN HELP DRAFT OUR OWN ROAD MAP FOR A BETTER FUTURE.

THE CONFERENCE ALSO PROVED TO BE AN EXCELLENT VENUE TO PRESENT THE DEPARTMENT’S POLICIES AND PROGRAMS ON MINERAL RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT. IT AFFORDED US, THE GOVERNMENT, AN OPPORTUNITY TO CLARIFY THAT WE HAVE A LIVING SET OF RULES; RULES THAT ARE NOT INSENSITIVE TO THE NEEDS OF THE TIMES.

WE CANNOT ALSO TAKE AWAY FROM THE CONFERENCE ITS SUCCESS TO BRING TOGETHER A WIDE LATITUDE OF STAKEHOLDERS, ESPECIALLY OTHER AGENCIES OF GOVERNMENT WHICH SHARE OUR CONCERNS. WE REALLY HAVE ONE BIG OPPORTUNITY OF BRINGING OUR ACTS TOGETHER!

AND WE HAVE INDEED REACHED CERTAIN AGREEMENTS. FROM THE POSITION PAPERS PRESENTED AND AIDED BY THE MANIFESTATIONS ON THE FLOOR, WE WERE ABLE TO IDENTIFY A LOT OF POINTS OF CONVERGENCE. (WE ACTUALLY WORKED HARD LAST NIGHT TO REVIEW THE POSITION PAPERS OF MINING INDUSTRY AND CIVIL SOCIETY AND YOU’LL BE SURPRISED HOW MANY CONSENSUS POINTS WE HAVE):

1. THE SUPPORT FOR RESPONSIBLE MINING, ANCHORED ON THE TRIPLE BOTTOM LINE OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT, WITH STRONG EMPHASIS ON SOCIAL EQUITY AND RESPECT FOR CULTURE.

2. THE REHABILITATION AND REMEDIATION OF LEGACY MINES AS A TOP PRIORITY.

3. VALUE-ADDING, AS A MEASURE OF OPTIMIZING THE BENEFITS FROM MINERALS FOR THE FILIPINO PEOPLE.

4. THE HARMONIZATION OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF LAWS ON THE ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES IN RELATION TO INDIGENOUS PEOPLES AND OTHER CONCERNS.

5. THE ALLOCATION OF THE RIGHTFUL SHARE OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS AND COMMUNITIES FROM THE BENEFITS OF MINING AND THAT THIS SHARE GOES TO THEM AS FAST AS POSSIBLE.

6. PROMOTION OF SMALL-SCALE MINING AS A FORMAL SECTOR OF THE MINERALS INDUSTRY.

7. THE PURSUIT OF A SUSTAINED INFORMATION, EDUCATION AND COMMUNICATION CAMPAIGN TO ENHANCE PUBLIC AWARENESS AND LEAD TO INFORMED DECISIONS BOTH AT THE NATIONAL AND LOCAL LEVELS.

8. THE CONTINUING ENGAGEMENT WITH AND AMONG ALL STAKEHOLDERS AS PART OF THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS.

9. (AND I AM GLAD YOU SUPPORT US ON THIS) THE “ DISMEMBERMENT “ OF THE DENR, TO PROVIDE FOR A CHECK-AND-BALANCE MECHANISM BETWEEN CONCERNS ON THE ENVIRONMENT AND THOSE OF NATURAL RESOURCES. WE REALLY HOPE YOU CAN HELP US PUSH FOR THE CREATION OF A SEPARATE AGENCY SIMILAR TO THAT OF THE ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA)…

YESTERDAY, I SPOKE ABOUT AN INDICATIVE POLICY FRAMEWORK AND GUIDING PRINCIPLES ON RESPONSIBLE MINING. THE AGREEMENTS REACHED SO FAR CLEARLY FALL WITHIN THE PERIMETER OF THOSE FRAMEWORK AND PRINCIPLES. WE CAN SAY THAT NINE MONTHS OF ENGAGEMENT HAS BORNE FRUIT. WE HAVE AMASSED A WEALTH OF INFORMATION TO GUIDE US THROUGH. THE POSITION PAPERS SUBMITTED BY THE INDUSTRY AND CIVIL SOCIETY AS WELL AS THE DISCUSSIONS FROM THE REGIONAL CONSULTATIONS, ISLAND-WIDE CONSULTATIONS AND THE DISCUSSIONS IN THIS CONFERENCE WERE INSTRUMENTAL FOR THESE BREAKTHROUGHS.

AND SO IT IS TIME FOR GOVERNMENT TO ACT AND EXERCISE POLITICAL WILL. THE BALL IS NOW IN GOVERNMENT’S HANDS AND IT CANNOT SHRINK FROM ITS RESPONSIBILITY OF MAKING A DECISION AFTER EVERYTHING HAS BEEN SAID AND DONE. IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE PRONOUNCEMENT OF THE PRESIDENT, WE DO INTEND TO SUBMIT TO HER EXCELLENCY FOR APPROVAL THE APPROPRIATE DRAFT POLICY EMANATING FROM THOSE AGREEMENTS.

THEN WE SHALL GO INTO ACTION PLANNING TO OPERATIONALIZE THAT POLICY, CONSIDERING THE PRIORITY AREAS AND WITH GOVERNMENT SPEARHEADING THE PROCESS. WE HAVE IN FACT IDENTIFIED THAT THE NEXT IMMEDIATE STEP IS TO ENGAGE OTHER AGENCIES OF GOVERNMENT, LIKE THE BOARD OF INVESTMENTS, THE NATIONAL COMMISSION ON INDIGENOUS PEOPLES AND THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS, TO GET OUR ACTS TOGETHER. UNDER A VERY DEFINITE TIME FRAME, WE ANTICIPATE THAT THIS STEP WILL LEAD TO A RESOLUTION OF THE MANY ISSUES THAT HAVE IMPEDED OUR PROGRESS.

WHILE WE WILL DO THIS IN COLLABORATION WITH OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, REST ASSURED THAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO CONSULT WITH ALL STAKEHOLDERS. WE ALSO HOPE TO CONTINUE ENGANGING YOU IN A MEANINGFUL DIALOGUE FOR THE ISSUES WHICH REMAIN CONTENTIOUS.

AS I HAVE EMPHASIZED YESTERDAY, WE DO NOT AND SHOULD NOT EXPECT CONSENSUS ON ALL ISSUES. BUT I AM CERTAIN THAT ALL OF US HERE SHARE THE ASPIRATION TO FREE OUR PEOPLE FROM THE BONDAGE OF POVERTY. OUR EFFORTS NOW LEAD TO THAT ASPIRATION.

I SINCERELY THANK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU FOR RESPONDING TO THIS CALL. I THANK THE WORLD BANK, THE GOVERNMENTS OF CANADA, AUSTRALIA AND JAPAN FOR SUPPORTING US IN THIS PROCESS. I THANK THE FOREIGN AND LOCAL RESOURCE PERSONS. YOUR INSIGHTS HAVE BEEN MOST VALUABLE. WE ASSURE YOU THAT ALL THE EFFORTS MADE TO BRING US TO THIS ENGAGEMENT SHALL NOT BE IN VAIN.

MARAMING SALAMAT PO ULI SA INYONG LAHAT!