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BY LEANDER C. DOMINGO GETTING READY OceanaGold Didipio Mine in Kasibu, Nueva Vizcaya, prepares for its operation after Malacañang renewed its Financial or Technical Assistance Agreement. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO GETTING READY OceanaGold Didipio Mine in Kasibu, Nueva Vizcaya, prepares for its operation after Malacañang renewed its Financial or Technical Assistance Agreement. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO KASIBU, Nueva Vizcaya (July 30)—Australian OceanaGold Corp. is expecting more than 1,500 jobs will be generated as Malacañang renewed the license of its Didipio Mine Gold and Copper Project in this upland municipality. In his LinkedIn page, Sam Pazuki, OceanaGold Corp. senior vice president for strategy and corporate development, said the renewal of their company's mining contract in th...

BY LEANDER C. DOMINGO/THE MANILA TIMES BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya (July 18)—Gov. Carlos Padilla was disappointed and disheartened by the renewal of the Didipio Mine's financial or technical assistance agreement (FTAA) for another 25 years. GOV. CARLOS M. PADILLA "It was indeed very lamentable and disheartening," Padilla said in a statement, adding the renewal, which happened despite their strong opposition to the re-opening of the mines, was "an act of injustice." On Wednesday, Australian OceanaGold Corp. confirmed the Philippine government renewed the Didipio Mines' FTAA in the upland town of Kasibu for an additional 25-year period beginning June 19, 2019. "We believe this is an act of injustice not only to our environment, but to our fellow Novo Vizcayanos, who had suffered...

BY LEANDER C. DOMINGO BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya (July 17)—The Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in Region 2 has appealed to local officials to relocate any illegal settlers in hazard-prone areas near a mining area in Barangay (village) Runruno in Quezon town. FILE PHOTO. A landslide triggered by the inclement weather conditions in Runruno village in Quezon, Nueva Vizcaya which claimed 10 lives during the onslaught of Typhoon Ulysses on November 11, 2020. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO/COL. RANSER EVASCO In a letter, MGB Region 2 director Mario Ancheta urges Quezon town mayor Dolores Binwag and Runruno village chief John Bab-liing to resettle those who are staying put in a geohazard area to avoid a possible repeat of fortuitous even...

BY LEANDER C. DOMINGO QUEZON, Nueva Vizcaya (July 12)—A British mining firm here has conducted over the weekend its environmental monitoring activities in Runruno village and neighboring communities encouraging the public to be part of safeguarding the environment. FCF Minerals Corp. conducts environmental monitoring in its host village of Runruno and neighboring communities in Quezon town, Nueva Vizcaya to ensure water quality both surface and groundwater. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO James Carmichael, FCF Minerals Corporation country manager, said the company is committed to the implementation of projects and programs in a showcase of care for the environment and the people of the host and neighboring communities. Runruno village in this town hosts the multibillion peso FCF Minerals Co...

BY CORIE CORPUZ, DENR-Region 2 The Steering Committee for the Lower Magat Forest Reserve (LMFR) in Cagayan Valley has pushed for the renewal of the co-management agreement between the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the provincial government of Nueva Vizcaya. In 1998, the DENR and the provincial government entered into a 25-year co-management agreement to jointly allocate, protect, develop and manage the forest reserve. Amended in 2004, the memorandum of agreement (MOA) is valid until 2023 and renewable for another 25 years. During its meeting on July 9, the Steering Committee (SC) unanimously recommended the renewal of the MOA and adopted the proposed amendment by the DENR. The committee is chaired by Gov. Carlos Padilla and co-chaired by DENR R...