The rise of modern communication technologies and social media platforms has vastly strengthened public scrutiny over Philippine mining projects, restricting the ability of large-scale operators to bypass environmental regulations, according to Environment Secretary Juan Miguel Cuna.
During a press conference on Wednesday, July 15, Cuna addressed assertions from environmental advocates who claim that sustainable and responsible mining is impossible to achieve in the country.
“It’s different now in terms of monitoring and compliance,” said Environment Secretary Juan Miguel Cuna during a press briefing on Wednesday, July 15, when asked to comment on statements of anti-mining group that responsible mining does not exist.”
Cuna explained that modern innovations have revolutionized how mining sites are overseen, making it virtually impossible for companies to hide ecological infractions as they might have done historically.
He pointed out that ecological damage or industrial accidents, even when occurring in isolated areas where mines typically operate, are now instantly recorded and broadcast to the public.
“There a lot of new technology like drones and social media that regularly monitors. Unlike before that the public was not aware of how mining is done, even water discoloration can be easily documented and published,” said Cuna.”
Furthermore, the Environment Secretary highlighted that the majority of major mining corporations in the country are Filipino-owned, which aligns their accountability more closely with local communities and regulators.
“Some of these mining companies are public declared in stock exchange so they would be at the losing end if for instance the EMB (Environmental Management Bureau) or MGB (Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) would issue a notice of violation,” said Cuna.”
Although he expressed faith in the surveillance systems for large-scale miners, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) head admitted that small-scale mining continues to be a major worry.
He highlighted hotspots like Camarines Norte and the Caraga region, where unlicensed and untrained operators pose severe risks to their own safety and the local ecosystems.
Cuna noted that compliance hurdles have discouraged many small-scale miners from obtaining legitimate permits, pushing them into illegal operations.
To address this, the DENR is setting up one-stop processing hubs to streamline the licensing procedure.
Additionally, the department is working alongside the Department of Labor and Employment and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas to incentivize legal gold sales, offering miners fair prices and legal safeguards to steer them away from illicit trading.