Director Wilfredo G. Moncano of the Mines the Geosciences Bureau (MGB) recently signed a Memorandum Circular that will unify and standardize the monitoring system of major mining permits/contracts, and establish a performance rating system for contractors/permittees and permit holders. This will ensure strict compliance to the terms and conditions of the permits/contracts and pertinent laws, rules and regulations.

Memorandum Circular No. 2018-02, or the Guidelines for Compliance Monitoring and Rating/Scorecard of Mining Permits/Contracts was signed on July 3, 2018.

The Circular contains the Standard Monitoring Checklist for Tenements; Safety and Health; Environmental Management and Social Development; and a Compliance Scorecard that will be utilized by the MGB Regional Offices to determine and measure the compliance of each contractor/permittee/permit holder.

Only the contractors/permittees/permit holders that comply with all the mandatory requirements and attain an over-all performance rating of 80% will be rendered compliant.

Contractors/permittees/permit holders who fail to meet the standards will be rendered non-compliant, which is a ground for the imposition of penalties/suspension/cancellation.

The issuance of the said Circular is pursuant to Sec. 9 of Republic Act (RA) No. 7942, or the Philippine Mining Act of 1995; Sec. 7 of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources Administrative Order
No. 2010-21, or the Revised Implementing Rules and Regulation of RA No. 7942; and RA No. 10964, or the General Appropriations Act of 2018, particularly the provisions for Performance Informed Reporting.

By:   Mining Tenements Management Division