The Philippine Nickel Industry Association (PNIA) expresses its opposition to the confirmation of Gina Lopez as Secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
The PNIA’s opposition is based on the following grounds:
- Violation of due process, disregard for the findings of the Technical Review Committee in ruling on the suspension and/or closure of mine operations;
- Deep personal bias against mining, gross misconduct, grave abuse of power and conduct unbecoming of a public officer, and;
- Insubordination to the order of the President of the Republic of the Philippines.
When Secretary Lopez announced to the media that she would close mines and suspend mining operations, she did not bother to inform the mining firms of this decision. As such, due process was circumvented as the mining companies waited for some communication from the DENR.
When some of the decision and orders were finally handed out to the mining companies, the findings presented were without factual and legal basis. In fact, it became apparent that Secretary Lopez totally disregarded the audit conducted by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) including the findings and recommendations of her own Technical Review Committee because these were not aligned with Secretary Lopez’s grand plan to arbitrarily shut down the mining industry.
Secretary Lopez’s deep-seated bias against mining in general has compromised her ability to lead a government agency. Her personal views about mining has unfairly portrayed the mining industry as the villain and has damaged the reputation of many responsible mining companies in the country in the eyes of the general public.
PNIA maintains that it is the people’s right, as guaranteed by the Philippine Constitution to responsibly explore, develop, and utilize the natural resources of the country. We are partners with government in developing and harnessing value of our mineral resources industry.
Through responsible mining we provide livelihood and improve the quality of life in the countryside particularly in less developed, economically depressed areas. The taxes that we pay go to the development of communities and contribute to the national treasury.
As responsible miners, we are committed to protecting the environment and promote development within our host communities. Among our diverse employment structures, we hire Foresters, Geodetic Engineers, Marine Biologists, Chemists, Mining Engineers, and Geologists that specialize in things like agroforestry and biodiversity to find the best and most efficient way to rehabilitate our mined areas.
The mining industry, through its partnership with the government, is proud of its contributions to society and the nation’s development. And we are looking forward to continue this partnership with the government for years to come, to help build our nation.