The Mining Industry Coordinating Council (MICC) is looking to change President Rodrigo Duterte’s stance against open-pit mining. Finance department officials who participated in MICC deliberations regarding the issue said the interagency panel would be issuing a resolution detailing its proposal to lift an existing ban on the surface mining practice. The MICC recommended the lifting of the open-pit mining ban in October but Duterte subsequently declared that he would reject the proposal. Then-Environment Secretary Gina Lopez imposed the open-pit mining ban in April, shortly before Congress rejected her appointment following strenuous objections by the mining industry. Duterte said in September 2017 that he supported Lopez’s move, adding that he asked her successor, Roy Cimatu, “to look into the eventual closure” of open pit mining operations in the country.

Source: Manila Times December 19, 2017 18:00 UTC