Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the Presidential Mineral Industry Environmental Award Selection Committee (PMIEASC), National Executive Committee (NEC) for the Best Mining Forest Contest-Mining Forest Program (MFP) and Mines and Geosciences Bureau for the Safest Mines Award (SMA) continued to give recognition to the private sector’s initiatives and exemplary achievements in the protection of the environment and ecology to further promote private sector participation and enhance public awareness on the protection of the environment and ecology, and contribute to the growth of the economy and improvement in the quality of life of Filipinos.  

The PMIEA recognizes outstanding levels of dedication, initiative, and innovation in the pursuit of entities involved in various aspects of mineral utilization. The scope includes among others, programs/projects/activities being implemented for the environmental protection and enhancement of mining areas, social development of the host and neighboring communities, safety and health, land use improvement, exploration and mining site rehabilitation and final decommissioning.

The PMIEA was officially established under Executive Order No. 399 on February 03, 1997 in compliance with the policy that mineral exploration and mining operation shall be pro-environment and pro-people in sustaining wealth creation, improving the quality of life, and managing mining activities in an environmentally responsible manner. This is to ensure maintenance of sustainable conditions at every stage of mining as well as the establishment of a functional and socially-acceptable post-disturbance land use capability. It is meant to be a fitting recognition of the private minerals sectors' initiatives and exemplary achievements in the protection of the environment.

The said Award is being conferred every year to deserving groups and/or companies engaged in mining activities in the country under the following categories: Mineral Exploration, Quarry Operation, Surface Mining Operation, Underground Mining Operation and Mineral Processing. All mining companies involved in any of the said categories for at least a year at the time of the selection may qualify for the PMIEA.

For CY 2020, nine (9) mining companies were awarded with the PMIEA and nine (9) companies were given with PMIEASC Achievement Awards based on the results of the offsite validation undertaken from December 2020 to February 2021. The selection and validation covered the accomplishment and performance of these companies for July 2019 – June 2020.

The following are the recipients of CY 2020 PMIEA:

Mining companies that fell short of the requirements to be awarded with PMIEA but exhibited satisfactorily performance in environment, safety and health, and social development and management were conferred with the PMIEASC Achievement Awards.

These companies are as follows:

Relative to the objective of the PMIEA, the MFP, established pursuant to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources Administrative Order No. 22, series of 1989, through the NEC, the winners for the CY 2020 Best Mining Forest Contest were selected through offsite validation. The Best Mining Forest Contest aims to recognize the exemplary performance of Contractor/Permit Holder/Permittee in the implementation of its MFP as one of the strategies in achieving effective progressive rehabilitation.

The CY 2020 Best Mining Forest Contest winners and runners-up are the following: 

Likewise, the selection of CY 2020 winners of the Safest Mines Awards (SMA) and Best Mines Personalities was administered by the MGB. The SMA aims to recognize the efforts of the mining companies in achieving zero accident in the workplace as well as the dedication of the mine workers to safety.

Below are the winners and runners-up of the CY 2020 Safest Mines Awards:

The blended awarding ceremony for the said awards was held at DENR Social Hall and virtually streamed at the official MGB Facebook account and Microsoft Teams on March 18, 2021.

USEC Jim O. Sampulna, CESO I, Undersecretary for Enforcement, Mining and Muslim Affairs delivered the keynote message of Secretary Roy A. Cimatu. The theme for the said event is: “Resilient and Responsible Mining Industry Under the New Normal.” The MGB Facebook Live Stream of the said awarding ceremony is available at this link: https://www.facebook.com/OfficialMinesAndGeosciencesBureau/videos/308598394024628

By: Mine Safety, Environment and Social Development Division

Photo 1. Atty. Wilfredo G. Moncano, MGB Director, during the Opening Remarks

(Photo courtesy: DENR-SCIS)

Photo 2. USEC Jim O. Sampulna while delivering the Keynote Message of Secretary Roy A. Cimatu. (Photo courtesy: DENR-SCIS)

Photo 3. Engr. Roland A. De Jesus, CESO V, MGB Assistant Director (AD) and Regional Director

in concurrent capacity MGB MIMAROPA Region during the Closing Remarks. (Photo courtesy: DENR-SCIS)

Photo 4. Mr. Benjamin Armand Tansingco, Vice President for Environmental Management, Sumitomo Metal Mining Philippines Holding Corp.,

Taganito HPAL Nickel Corporation, while receiving the Award for CY 2020 Best Mining Forest Contest under Mineral Processing Plant Category

with MGB Director Wilfredo G. Moncano; Engr. Nonita S. Caguioa, DENR Assistant Secretary for Finance,

Information Systems and Mining Concerns; Forest Management Burau (FMB) OIC-AD Edna D. Nuestro; and MGB AD Roland A. De Jesus.

(Photo courtesy: DENR-SCIS)

Photo 5. Mr. Tulsi Das Reyes, President, Berong Nickel Corporation, while receiving the Award for CY 2020 Best Mining Forest Contest

under Metallic Category with MGB Director Wilfredo G. Moncano; Asec Nonita S. Caguioa; FMB OIC-AD Edna Nuestro;

and MGB AD Roland A. De Jesus. (Photo courtesy: DENR-SCIS)

Photo 6. Mr. Lloyd Vicente, President, Republic Cement and Building Materials, Inc. – Bulacan while receiving the Award for CY 2020

Best Mining Forest Contest under Non-metallic Category with MGB Director Wilfredo G. Moncano; Asec Nonita S. Caguioa;

FMB OIC-AD Edna Nuestro; and MGB AD Roland A. De Jesus. (Photo courtesy: MGB-MSESDD)

Photo 7. Engr. Louie R. Sarmiento, President, Itogon-Suyoc Resources, Inc., while receiving the Award for CY 2020 Most Improved Safety Performance

with MGB Director Wilfredo G. Moncano; Asec Nonita S. Caguioa; and Engr. Marcial H. Mateo, MGB-MSESDD Chief. (Photo courtesy: DENR-SCIS)

Photo 8. Mr. Lorne Harvey, Acting General Manager-Operations, FCF Minerals Corporation, while receiving the Award for CY 2020

Overall Safest Mining Operation with MGB Director Wilfredo G. Moncano; Asec Nonita S. Caguioa; and Engr. Marcial H. Mateo,

MGB-MSESDD Chief. (Photo courtesy: DENR-SCIS)

Photo 9. Mr. Benjamin Armand Tansingco, Vice President for Environmental Management, Sumitomo Metal Mining Philippines Holding Corp.,

Taganito HPAL Nickel Corporation, while receiving the CY 2020 PMIEA Trophy under Mineral Processing Category with Usec Jim O. Sampulna and

Chamber of Mines of the Philippines (COMP) Chairman Gerald Brimo. (Photo courtesy: DENR-SCIS)

Photo 10. Mr. Benjamin Armand Tansingco, Vice President for Environmental Management, Sumitomo Metal Mining Philippines Holding Corp.,

Coral Bay Nickel Corporation, while receiving the CY 2020 PMIEA Trophy under Mineral Processing Category with Usec Jim O. Sampulna and

COMP Chairman Gerald Brimo. (Photo courtesy: MGB-MSESDD)

Photo 11. Mr. Lloyd Vicente, President, Republic Cement and Building Materials, Inc. – Batangas and Bulacan, while receiving the CY 2020 PMIEA Trophies

under Quarry Operation Category with Usec Jim O. Sampulna and COMP Chairman Gerald Brimo. (Photo courtesy: MGB-MSESDD)

Photo 12. Mr. Cilor P. Guevarra, Head for Corporate Affairs of Holcim Resources Development Corporation; and Ms. Beverly E. Millares, OIC Community Relations

of LafargeHolcim Aggregates, Inc. while receiving the CY 2020 PMIEA Trophies under Quarry Operation Category with Usec Jim O. Sampulna and

COMP Chairman Gerald Brimo. (Photo courtesy: MGB-MSESDD)

Photo 13. Mr. Tulsi Das Reyes, President, Berong Nickel Corporation, while receiving the CY 2020 PMIEA Trophy under Surface Mining Operation Category

with Usec Jim O. Sampulna and COMP Chairman Gerald Brimo. (Photo courtesy: MGB-MSESDD)

Photo 14. Mr. Aloysius Diaz, Vice President for Operations, Cagdianao Mining Corporation, while receiving the CY 2020 PMIEA Trophy under

Surface Mining Operation Category with Usec Jim O. Sampulna and COMP Chairman Gerald Brimo. (Photo courtesy: MGB-MSESDD)

Photo 15. Mr. Rommel Cruz, Vice President for Operations, Rio Tuba Nickel Mining Corporation, while receiving the CY 2020 PMIEA Trophy under

Surface Mining Operation Category with Usec Jim O. Sampulna and COMP Chairman Gerald Brimo. (Photo courtesy: MGB-MSESDD)