EO 469 amended to include LGUs in the mining council

Environment and Natural Resources Secretary and Chair of the Mineral Development Council (MDC) Lito Atienza announced January 28,2008 the amendment of Executive Order (EO) numbered 469 to include the participation of Local Government Units (LGUs) in the MDC.

According to Atienza, the inclusion of the LGUs in the decision making process of the MDC is very important since the local chief executives are knowledgeable about the situation in their respective areas and would advance the cause of making the mining industry more conscious of the environment and the welfare of communities which host mining ventures.

The amendment of EO 469 increases the number of council members to include the League of Municipalities of the Philippines, League of Provinces of the Philippines, League of Cities of the Philippines and Liga ng mga Barangay sa Pilipinas.

The inclusion of the LGUs bring to 18 the members of the council which include key officials of the DENR, Presidential Adviser for Multilateral Development (Vice-Chairman), DILG, DOF, DTI, Department of Land Reform, DAR, DND, DOLE, PMS, NCIP, National Anti-poverty Commission, PIA and Chamber of Mines of the Philippines.

EO 469, issued by Her Excellency President Gloria M. Arroyo on October 11,2005, created the MDC to act as an oversight committee to boost the Administration’s goal of securing $6 billion in mining investments in the next few years.

The MDC, which is under the Office of the President: coordinates national agencies and LGUs to harmonize investment-related requirements and procedures; facilitates and promotes investments in the mineral industry; assists mining investors by providing information, guidance, direction and solutions to their investment problems; reviews all aspects in mining investments, including coming up with short term and long term measures for the sector’s sustainability; prepares and submits reports to the President on the status of investments in the mineral industry; and advises the President on effective solutions to problems confronting the entry of mining investments into the country. (LVA-Foresight  Jan-June2008 issue)