SECURING certification from the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), as required by law, will not guarantee that miners will avoid the suspension of their operations following a government audit, Environment Secretary Regina Paz L. Lopez said.
"The audit will be holistic not just technical. I mentioned the ISO because it's in the law," said Ms. Lopez in a phone interview over the weekend.

Asked if the ISO 14001 standard for best practices in environmental management is sufficient to keep miners from running afoul of auditors, she replied: "No. No it doesn't... We should achieve high standards and protect our people."
Read more: Audit won't spare ISO-certified mining firms -- DENR's Lopez