Iloilo City – The Mines and Geosciences Bureau Regional Office VI (MGB VI) held separate public hearings in Sibalom, and San Remegio on November 15 and November 26, respectively, with an upcoming one scheduled in Patnongon on December 5, 2024. All public hearings are being conducted within the province of Antique.
The public hearing is an integral part of the National Mineral Reservation Program, providing a platform for stakeholders—including concerned sectors, communities, non-government organizations, people’s organizations, and local government units—to express their views on the establishment, disestablishment, or modification of a mineral reservation area.
The Mines and Geosciences Bureau is the primary government agency under the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) responsible for the conservation, management, development, and proper use of the country’s mineral resources including those in reservations, and lands of the public domain as specified in Republic Act No. 7942, also known as the Philippine Mining Act of 1995, and its Implementing Rules and Regulations.
What is a Mineral Reservation?
A Mineral Reservation is defined as an area established and proclaimed by the President of the Philippines as a site containing strategic mineral resources essential for the country’s economic and industrial development or for scientific, cultural, or ecological purposes. These areas are set aside under the authority of Republic Act No. 7942, and its Implementing Rules and Regulations, including DENR Administrative Order No. 2010-21.
Mineral Reservations are declared to preserve strategic raw materials needed for national development, protect certain minerals for their scientific, cultural, or ecological value and promote orderly development and utilization of mineral resources.
The declaration of a Mineral Reservation is made through a Presidential Proclamation, upon the recommendation of the Secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), based on studies and assessments conducted by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB).
The establishment, disestablishment, or modification of Mineral Reservations involves consultations with stakeholders, including local government units, communities, and other sectors, through public hearings. (MGB VI)
