The appointment of Ms. Gina Lopez, an environmentalist and an anti-mining advocate worries the business sector. Cynics have been claiming that her appointment could spell the end of mining in the Philippines. This may be an exaggeration. So long as there is demand for raw minerals there will be mining, legal or illegal. It will take more than the appointment of Ms. Gina Lopez in the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to stop mining.
Read more: Beyond responsible mining