"The audit shall cover all operating mines under suspended and/or care and maintenance status while the moratorium shall cover the acceptance, processing, and/or approval of mining applications and/or new mining projects for all metallic and non-metallic minerals," read July 8-dated Memorandum Order 2016-01 uploaded by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) to its Web site.

The order means that aside from Executive Order (EO) No. 79, which suspends approval for new mines pending the enactment into law of a new revenue-sharing scheme, miners must also await the lifting of the department's own moratorium.
Read more: DENR issues own halt order on new mines, sets rules for audit