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Sibutad Project
Environmental Management and Community Relations Annual Report
For the year 2008, PGPI-Sibutad Project continued its Care and Maintenance Program (CMP) through upland reforestation and the rehabilitation of other mine affected areas, desilting of silt ponds, and other environmental protection, enhancement and monitoring measures in the mine site and the neighboring barangays.
A total of 1,005 seedlings of auri, narra, and fruit trees were planted in an area of 3.73 hectares for the year. To date, the company has planted a total of 397,949 seedlings of different variety within an area of 135.97 hectares. For its reforestation efforts, PGPI-Sibutad had won as 3rd runner-up in the Adopt-a-Mining Forest Program initiated by DENR-MGB for the year 2008.
For Environmental Programs alone, PGPI-Sibutad had spent Seven Hundred Ninety Two Thousand One Hundred Thirty pesos (Php 792,130.00) this year.
The Company has also been attracting many visitors in the mine site since its improvement into an Eco-tourism park wherein: a view deck was constructed in Main Lalab overlooking the scenic Murcelliagos Bay and the surrounding mountains of Sibutad & Rizal; a hiking / biking trail was developed for the visitors to better appreciate the surroundings; an experimental tilapia culture was developed in East silt pond A; and a mini zoo was constructed where parakeets, a civet, a python and horses are on display for viewing. Visitors can avail of free horseback riding while enjoying the reforested mine site.
The Company actively involves itself in various community activities as part of its Social Development Management Program. Assistance is being provided by the Company in the form of materials counterpart or donations to local community projects, church activities as well as for the improvement of schools’ facilities and structures in the host and neighboring communities. One of the major accomplishments for this year is the rehabilitation of the Calube-Minlasag road which made transport easier for the people and the trading of their goods to and from Dipolog City.
Continuous Information, Education and Communication (IEC) campaign program is being done alongside the exploration activities in the area. Courtesy calls and presentation of Exploration Work Program for the local government units of the municipalities of Sibutad and Rizal in Zamboanga Del Norte, and the local government unit of Dapitan City were conducted as part of the company’s IEC. Sit-ins during regular barangay sessions were also done for a more open communication with the local leaders. Dialogues with landowners whose properties will be affected by exploration activities are also still being carried out before the entry of Exploration group in an area.
Overall, Three Hundred Eighty Nine Thousand Two Hundred Thirty Seven pesos (Php 389,237.00) was spent for the implementation of PGPI-Sibutad’s Community Development projects for 2008.
By: LC Bartolome
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BULAWAN: Environmental Management and Community Development
With the active exploration activities at Sipalay and Hinobaan in Negros Occidental, environmental protection, mitigating measures and enhancement still continues to be of utmost importance to the Company. Several environmental management and community development programs have been implemented for the host and neighboring communities to pursue the Company’s commitment to social and environmental responsibility.
Environmental Management
For 2008, PGPI-Bulawan had established an additional Nine (9) hectares of plantation areas for jatropha and acacia mangium. Twenty Five Thousand (25,000) seedlings produced from the in-house nursery have been planted over this expansive area. To date, Four Hundred Forty Two (442) hectares within and around the mine site have been reforested by the Company with a survival rate of 92%. Effort such as this had been the basis for PGPI-Bulawan to be conferred 2nd Runner-up award and a Special Award by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau during the Adopt-a-Mining Forest competition for 2008.
During the celebration of the Environmental Week on June 2008, three thousand (3,000) seedlings of mahogany and mangium were donated to the Sipalay City Local Government Unit in support for their yearly Tree-planting program. A joint tree-planting activity with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources Region VI (DENR- RVI), Negros State College of Agriculture (NESCA), Sipalay City LGU and PGPI-Bulawan was conducted during the celebration.
Reforestation project expenses for 2008 amounted to Five Hundred Twenty Thousand Eight Hundred Fifteen pesos (Php 520,815.00).
Aside from the reforestation program, progressive rehabilitation of exploration disturbed areas is being done. Nine Thousand One Hundred Ten (9,110) square meters of said areas have been rehabilitated by establishment of vegetative erosion control. One Hundred Twenty (120) silt traps and numerous silt trap embankments have also been constructed as preventive measures during mobilization of drilling rigs and drilling activities. Desilting of these traps as well as repairs (if necessary) are being conducted regularly. A total of Php 7.69 Million had already been spent for exploration-related rehabilitation this year.
Maintenance of facilities for environmental management program under the PGPI-Bulawan Care and Maintenance includes: regular monitoring of tailing ponds, existing silt ponds, spillways and canals within the mine site. Regular repairs and maintenance of existing access roads within the mine industrial areas is also being done.
To ensure compliance to environmental laws, inspection and evaluation is regularly being done by the Multi-Partite Monitoring Team in the active and post-drilling areas as well as in the mine industrial areas, including those under the PGPI-Bulawan Care and Maintenance.
Community Development
Medical & Dental Mission
Through a multi-sectoral collaboration between the Company, private sectors and the Municipal and Barangay local government units, a Medical and Dental Mission was successfully conducted last July 2008. The activity benefited a total of Two thousand One Hundred Sixty-Five (2,165) patients from the three host barangays (Barangays Nabulao, Bacuyangan and Talacagay). One Thousand Seven Hundred Fifty-seven (1,757) of the patients availed of the medical consultation while Four Hundred Eight (408) went through dental operations, particularly tooth extraction. The patient beneficiaries who were composed mostly of children & elders were likewise able to take advantage of the free medicines provided by the Company through donations from other agencies. Aside from the medical and dental mission, the Company also conducted a series of supplementary vitamin-feeding program to One Hundred Forty (140) students of Three (3) Elementary Schools located in the host communities as well. The vitamins were also part of the medicines solicited from the pharmaceutical companies.
The free medicines provided to the patient beneficiaries were acquired through Philex’s partnership with the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) and various pharmaceutical companies namely United Laboratories, Inc., Pascual Laboratories, Inc., and Mercury Drug. The implementation proper of the activity was conducted in coordination with the Barangay Officials’ of the target host communities together with the Municipal and City Local Government Units who also provided the necessary medical and dental personnel.
Information, Education and Communication
Continuous Information, Education and Communication (IEC) program even during the early stages of exploration is being conducted for the concerned communities to provide people apt information about the Company and its activities in the area. Activities in the IEC program include: community immersions, focused group discussions, house-to-house visits, formal / informal meetings with local organizations, consultations as well as sit-ins during municipal and barangay regular sessions and participation to the weekly local radio program “Radyo Natin Hinobaan”. These activities are able to provide the Company the channels for clarification of issues and concerns regarding mining and in addressing them.
Infrastructure Support
In terms of infrastructure support, PGPI-Bulawan has been actively participating in projects for community infrastructure improvements through counterparting scheme with the community and the local government units (LGUs). The Company provides assistance in the form of construction materials while the LGUs and the community provide for the labor and implementation aspect of the project(s). This scheme enables both the Company and the community to have a sense of responsibility and ownership over the projects that they want to be implemented. Some of the infrastructure projects implemented for the year are as follows:
- Repair of drainage canal at Sitio village in Nabulao, Sipalay City
- Construction of Binucauan spillway at Brgy. Manlucahoc, Sipalay City
- Construction of water intake box and improvement of water system in Skid 4 and Skid 8 at Sitio Vista Alegre which benefited 14 families in the area including Vista Alegre Elementary School
- Renovation of weighing post / Multipurpose building in Sitio Vista Alegre
- Rehabilitation of access road from Sangke to Hinobaan
- Construction of Teachers Cottage at Vista Alegre Elementary School
- Repair and repainting of classrooms at Bonifacio Elementary School
Overall, the infrastructure support provided by the Company for this year amounted to Php 665,650.00.
Livelihood Assistance
The Company aims to enhance the skills and capability of local community groups by organizing and/or strengthening them through trainings/seminars and technical and management assistance.
The Company assisted in formalizing the Bato Small Farmers Association (BSFA) and the Vista Alegre Women’s’ Association (VAWA) through the Election of Officers and formulation of their Constitution and Bylaws. Orientation on Leadership skills and Basic Bookkeeping were also conducted for these two groups to equip them with appropriate management of their association and their finances.
The vegetable growers from Sitio Bato, Sito Skid 6, Sitio Skid 8, Sitio Skid 2 were also organized by the Company through family approach strategy wherein interested families from these areas were provided with vegetable seeds as initial input for them to grow vegetables to start a small business. These families are now starting to harvest what they planted, which serve as food on their table and provide additional income for their families as well. They are also able to gather seeds for the next planting season. Capability seminar on vegetable gardening and organic farming technology were conducted for them as well.
Education Assistance
PGPI-Bulawan adopted two (2) schools in support for the Feeding program of the Sipalay City LGU namely, Vista Alegre Elementary School and Bonifacio Elementary School. The Company committed to sponsor the program through financial assistance of Seven Thousand pesos (Php 7,000.00) while the schools and the parents provided for the manpower during the feeding activity, from food preparation to distribution. Combined total of pupil beneficiaries is Three Hundred Eighty Nine (389). This activity is aimed at motivating the parents to send their children to school and to be partners of the Company and the schools in the realizing that education is very essential for every child.
Sports Development & other Community Assistance
The Company actively provided financial assistance or material donations for sports competitions during Fiesta Celebrations to the five (5) host Barangays namely: Bacuyangan, Talacagay, Nabulao, Manlucahoc and San Camindanagan. The same was also extended to the host municipalities of Sipalay and Hinobaan. Other solicitations from various institutions like the academe, religious sector, local groups and other government agencies were also considered and given appropriate support. Overall amount spent by the Company in supporting these various sports and community affairs amounted to Php 219,360.
by LC Bartolome
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