On April 16, 2021, Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) Acting Director Atty. Wilfredo G. Moncano guested at the 5pm segment show, “Reporters Hour” of the radio program DZRJ, which is hosted by Messrs. Felix Tambongco and Rommel Madrigal.

The hour-long segment focused on Executive Order (EO) No. 130 – released on April 14, 2021, or the amendment on provisions of Section 4 of EO No. 79, s. 2012, notes the lifting of the Moratorium on Mineral Agreements.

MGB Director Moncano cited that it has been the agenda of the Mineral Industry Coordinating Council to have the Section 4 of EO. 79, s. 2012, be lifted which signals the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and MGB to process pending applications of new mining projects. Mr. Tambongco stated this as important move to help with the country's economic recovery from the pandemic.

He also confirms, the Congress in 2018 already passed a Train Law, which doubles the excise tax of mineral commodities from 2% to 4%.

MGB Director Moncano notes, starting next week, the different offices of DENR together with the Department of Finance, will convene to draft rules and regulations pertaining to Section 1 of EO No. 130.

Director Moncano informs that the memo has been prepared and submitted to the Office of the President, the list of new mining projects which generate revenues to the government with an estimated of P50 Million in form of taxes and P5 Billion in royalties. These projects will increase additional billion pesos-worth of exports and thousands of employments.

In addition, MGB Director Moncano also clarified the process of application of the mining programs, Minahang Bayan and “Big Brother, Small Brother” program. He notes that through these mining initiatives, small-scale mining could be supported better. He adds, the “Big Brother, Small Brother” initiative is a program for both small-scale mining and large-scale mining companies to forge a partnership between both parties by allowing small-scale mining operations to use the services of the large-scale operations.

By: Mineral Economics, Information and Publication Division