DENR wants more mineral-rich areas tagged

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has ordered the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) to classify more mineral-rich areas that could be declared as mineral reservations. In a statement Sunday, DENR Secretary Ramon Paje said the move would be “providing equitable access to mineral resources and generating additional non-tax revenue for the government." Government presently gets 2-percent of gross sales of mining operations in the form of excise tax, Paje said. Another 5 percent in royalties will go to government if the mining operations are in mineral reservations, he added. Sec. 5 of Republic Act 7942 or the Philippine Mining Act of 1995 says that “when national interest so requires… the President may establish mineral reservations" upon the recommendation of the MGB director and the DENR secretary. Mineral reservations in the country are in Ilocos Norte, Zambales, Bulacan, Camarines Sur, Samar, Surigao del Norte, Compostela Valley, Zamboanga del Norte, and all offshore areas, Paje noted. — Jesse Edep/VS, GMANews.TV