The Mines and Geosciences Bureau, a line bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), celebrates its 122nd anniversary with the theme: “MGB’s anniversary theme this year, “MGB: READINESS AND RESILIENCY AMIDST CHALLENGES IN THE NEW NORMAL.”
Tracing back its history to the Spanish regime, what is MGB now was the “Inspeccion General de Minas” mandated to take charge in the administration and disposition of minerals and mineral lands.
Under the Philippine Revolutionary Republic, the Departamento de Fomento (Department of Public Welfare) was created in a decree signed by Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo on November 28, 1898. Within the Department of Public Welfare were four Divisions created on November 29, 1898. One of the offices was the Industry and Agriculture Division where the Mines Section belonged. It was the original office of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB).
The Office went through a number of re-organizations over the years.
On June 10, 1987, pursuant to Executive Order No. 192, otherwise known as the Reorganization Act of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), the MGB became one of the staff bureaus of DENR. MGB took the functions of the Bureau of Mines and Geosciences but minus the line functions that were transferred mainly to the DENR regional offices. It also absorbed the functions of the abolished Mineral Resources Development Board (MRDB), and the Gold Mining Industry Assistance Board (GMIAB).
The passage of Republic Act 7942, otherwise known as the Philippine Mining Act of 1995 on March 3, 1995, and DAO No. 96-40, the Implementing Rules and Regulations of RA 7942, transformed the MGB into a line bureau. The staff bureau created under DAO 1, series of 1988 became the Central Office of the MGB, while Mines and Geosciences Development Service created under DAO 41, series of 1991 became the Regional Offices.
In 1997, by virtue of DAO 97-11, the MGB implemented a full reorganization specifically involving the establishment of two new divisions—the Mining Environment and Safety Division, and the Mine Tenement Management Division—thus, essentially operationalizing the sustainable development principles provision of the Mining Act of 1995.
To read more on the brief history of MGB: https://mgb.gov.ph/transparency/about-us/brief-history