China is the biggest player in this part of the world, so it would be foolish for the Philippines not to seek a broader economic relationship. Doing so, however, is going to require some compromises, and one of the biggest will be a retreat from the administration’s anti-mining stance. The most significant implication of the virtual shutdown of three-fourths of the mining industry is that it essentially ends nickel mining in the country, at least for the time being. Notwithstanding environmental concerns, nickel production is one of the easiest ways for the country to earn a substantial export income, largely because of Chinese demand for the metal for stainless steel production. And China, whose environmental record is best described as “appalling,” is unlikely to be of any help to the Philippines in maintaining a sustainable or environmentally responsible mining sector.

Source: Manila Times September 28, 2016 16:41 UTC