The mining sector wishes that the government will set up a one-stop shop for the securing of permits needed to develop mineral resources in the country—similar to the one put up by the Department of Energy (DOE).
“Of course, we’d love to have streamlined permits. I think DOE is setting the bar with one-stop shop and I think if we can replicate that with the same ideals, I think it will be good (for the industry),” DMCI Mining Corporation President Tulsi Das C. Reyes said in an interview over the weekend.
He noted that, “right now, we go to EMB (Environmental Management Bureau), FMB (Forest Management Bureau), central, regional directors, you have to have a lot of dealings. Sometimes there is miscommunication between the national and local levels.”
“So if you have a one-stop shop, I think it will help clarify some matters. Who do you follow, LGUs or the national government? So if we could speak the same language, which I think we are doing right now, I think we are going to see more clarity,” Reyes said.
He also noted that, with government support for the mining industry, there are now many nickel miners who are planning to put up processing plants that require billions of dollars in investments.
“Who would have ever thought that we would be talking about a $1.5-billion investment for a processing plant? I have never seen that, I have never heard that happen. Nickel Asia was the first one, how many years ago, in the 1970s. Just them. Now you are getting PGMC, CNC, all these second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth miners in the country, who now have options to process ore,” Reyes added.
He said the Philippines can be competitive and meet demand for resources in the global market and a $1.5-billion dollar processing plant can also provide many jobs for Filipinos.
“You can do world-class environmental procedures following all these international companies because the need is there, EV vehicles, in a big, big way,” Reyes added.
He pointed out that the past “two-and-a-half administrations” have been very progressive in its support for the mining sector.