BAGUIO CITY – The Philippine Mine Safety and Environment Association (PMSEA) underscored that the country’s mining industry is a generator of genuine progress.
PMSEA president Luis R. Sarmiento, ASEAN Engineer, said that if the industry stakeholders bond together, amplify and expand their alliances in all possible ways, there is nothing that can stop mining from helping make the world a better place, without compromising or sacrificing neither the people, the planet or profit.
“Our alliances have been tested by calamities, too. Together, we have responded to the call for search, rescue and retrieval operations, clearing operations and other services needed to help our kababayans affected by calamities,” Sarmiento stressed.
The PMSEA official claimed that this year alone, the mining industry alliance under Pusong Minero helped Bogo in Cebu following the magnitude 6.9 earthquake; Masbate for Typhoon Uwan and even Myanmar following a strong earthquake.
According to him, as responsible miners, they never shy away from missteps and mistakes, own up to negative consequences and, more importantly, still forge ahead with adoptive or modifying tactics or activities.
Sarmiento pointed out that transparency in outcomes and effects, whether positive or negative, is an effective way to build trust all around.
Further, diligence in reporting and open communication with their regulator and stakeholders are all timelessly efficient ways of enhancing their alliances.
He argued that notwithstanding the opposition to mining, they should hold their heads up high, each and everyone of them involved in whatever capacity in the mining industry, because they can turn the country around.
“Our country is facing many challenges seemingly on all fronts, political, social, environmental. With the current lack of investors and wavering confidence in our economy due to corruption issues, the mining industry, our industry, is providing the lift to the generally poor overall stock market sentiment. Let us embrace this role with utmost humility but great commitment to integrity by practicing responsible mining at all cost with innovation, safety and sustainability as our cornerstones,” Sarmiento said.
He emphasized that mining is the country’s best bet out of these different problems being faced both human-induced and otherwise.
He stipulated that the inter-dependent relationship between the mining industry stakeholders led him to believe that the Philippines’ mining sector is now poised to be a more formidable contributor to the country’s economy.
Last week, Baguio hosted the 71st edition of the Annual National Mine Safety and Environment Conference where nearly a thousand mining industry stakeholders gathered to discuss pressing issues and strategic solutions on how to combat the challenges of mining in the different parts of the country. HENT
