[ferro-alloys.com]The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Roy A. Cimatu has ordered the Benguet Provincial Mining Regulatory Board (PRMB) to hasten the processing and declaration of Minahang Bayan in their province.

In a recent dialogue with the members of a small-scale miners association in Itogon, Benguet, Secretary Cimatu stated that he has directed the PRMB to convene immediately for the declaration of a Minahang Bayan for the miners.

He added that the processing of other Minahang Bayan applications in Itogon are also already underway and assured that the miners would still be able to keep their claim to the mineral resources in the area despite the current ban.

The Secretary maintained that the suspension order on small-scale mining in the region will remain until a Minahang Bayan has been declared and once the area has already been confirmed safe for the resume of mining operations.

The ban on small-scale mining in the region had been declared following the landslide that left dozens of small-scale miners and their families dead.

Minahang Bayan refers to a common designated for small-scale miners.

（Philippine DENR official website）

• [Editor:王可]