The House of Representatives is not backing down from its plan to ban open-pit mining and revise the taxation of mineral products in the country despite strong opposition from the mining industry. READ: Imposition of royalty on all mining operations eyedArroyo also proposed that open-pit mining be clearly defined and prohibited in the bill. Arroyo was apparently irked by this, citing that it was President Rodrigo Duterte’s explicit directive to ban open-pit mining and tax the industry during his State of the Nation Address. I’m the one who opened up the mining industry in 2004 and it is my priority to kill the industry?’” she added. She added that open-pit mining would be clearly defined in the bill and would be prohibited.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer September 20, 2018 05:52 UTC