What Environment Secretary Gina Lopez think about the mining sector — its threats to the lives of its workers and its negative impact to the environment¬ — is not necessarily true.

At the 63rd Annual National Mine Safety and Environment Conference (ANMSEC), Philippine Mines Safety and Environment Association (PMSEA) President Louie Sarmiento told reporters that despite the claims of Lopez that mining put people’s lives at risk, the country’s mining sector is actually safe.

“Before you develop a mine, there is risk management, feasibility studies, and safety measures. Then you have to present this to MGB (Mines and Geosciences Bureau), they will do deliberation and then approve it. There’s a very detailed process and aside from than, there’s a quarterly review,” Sarmiento specified.

He was reacting to Lopez’s past statements where she mentioned that allowing mining is like threatening people’s lives.

“I will never ever allow this because it’s immoral. It’s socially unjust to allow companies to put the lives of all the farmers and indigenous people at risk,” Lopez said before, specifically referring to the $5.9-billion Tampakan project in South Cotabato, considered as potentially the country’s biggest foreign investment and one of the largest gold prospects in the world.

Sarmiento, nevertheless, said miners will never get tired of proving themselves to Lopez, who is currently the secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), the parent agency of MGB.

“We have to keep doing what it’s right and keep on proving it. Responsible mining is a journey and we have to keep on doing the right thing. We are not a perfect industry but our members are committed to do responsible mining,” he said.

Annually, various sectors in the mining industry, such as partners, members, mining contractors, mining suppliers, academe, students, professional organizations, community development officers, government officials and employees attend the ANMSEC in Baguio City.

ANMSEC is traditionally graced by the DENR Secretary or his representative but in this year’s celebration, it seems that Lopez has snubbed the event, failing to send even a representative on her behalf while attending to Marrakech Climate Change Conference in Morrocco.

This year’s forum was even attended by the country’s counterparts from South Africa, led by the Deputy Minister for Mineral Resources Godfrey Oliphant and Ambassador to the Philippines Marti Slaberg.

Despite Lopez’s absence, the deputy minister, a former diamond mine worker, expressed high hopes for knowledge sharing of technology and best practices for partnership with Philippines in the future.

• [Editor:Licaixia]