The Philippine Nickel Industry Association (PNIA) yesterday called for the creation of a one-stop shop that will speed up the processing of mining permits.
Dante Bravo, PNIA president, told reporters at the Nickel Initiative forum in Makati City, this would cut the permitting process to six months to a year instead of five to 10 years at present.
PNIA said the one-stop shop should be similar to the Energy Virtual One-Stop Shop, a technology and operations management software platform for all government entities to promote a unified permitting system for energy related projects.
“The permitting process basically has no timeline, (is) tedious. You can get a permit (from one agency) only if you have (obtained) the first permit (from another agency). If you want to improve the process, you have to have a timeline…,” Bravo said.
PNIA added each government agency must have a clear role in issuing permits to streamline and avoid duplicity of requirements.
It said agencies should identify priority programs that will help attract mining investments.
Bravo said PNIA in its consultations with the government and other stakeholders sought for the following: streamlining of fiscal regime, harmonization of national and local mining regulations and monitoring and evaluation of environmental protection laws.
Meanwhile, PNIA said local producers have the potential to supply more than 40 million metric tons of nickel ore due to the continuing increase in demand for the manufacture of electric vehicle batteries.
“We have more batteries being produced using nickel material. When the demand is high, we have the opportunity to access areas even in… farther from the mine pit, to the port because you know it’s a question of logistics, it’s a question of cost,” Bravo said.
“That opportunity will come as we see that the price (is) becoming more stable and (is) becoming more viable … We have a chance to grow the supply here in the Philippines,” Bravo said.
Data from the Mines and Geosciences Bureau showed the country in 2022 produced 29.39 million dry metric tons (DMT) of direct shipping nickel ore with an estimated value of P61.61 billion.
The volume is 11 percent lower compared to 2021’s 32.93 million DMT but value is 9 percent higher against the previous P56.33 billion.