TO ENGR. LOUIE SARMIENTO, PRESIDENT OF PEMSEA, AND OUR FRIEND AMBASSADOR DELIA ALBERT, AND ALL OUR COLLEAGUES IN THE INDUSTRY AND IN GOVERNMENT, GOOD EVENING.

OUR DISTINGUISHED MEMBERS OF THE PRESIDENTIAL MINERAL INDUSTRY ENVIRONMENTAL AWARD (PMIEA) SELECTION COMMITTEE, THE NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE MINING FOREST PROGRAM, AND ALL OUR PARTNERS IN THIS INDUSTRY, A PLEASANT EVENING TO ALL!

TODAY, WE CELEBRATE RESPONSIBLE MINING IN OUR COUNTRY BY RECOGNIZING THE EXCELLENCE AND ACHIEVEMENT IN THE INDUSTRY – THE RECEPIENTS OF THE PRESTIGIOUS 2024 PRESIDENTIAL MINERAL INDUSTRY ENVIRONMENTAL AWARD (PMIEA). AS YOU ALL KNOW, EXECUTIVE ORDER 399 WAS PROMULGATED IN 1997 IN ORDER TO ENABLE THE CREATION OF A PRESIDENTIAL AWARD THAT RECOGNIZES THE ENVIRONMENTALLY AND SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE MINING OPERATIONS ALL OVER THE PHILIPPINES.

TWENTY-SEVEN YEARS LATER, IN THESE COMPLEX TIMES WHERE CLIMATE CHANGE, BIODIVERSITY LOSS AND ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION CHALLENGE OUR PATHWAY TO RESILIENT, INCLUSIVE AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, WE ARE GIVEN THIS OPPORTUNITY TO COME TOGETHER HERE TO RECOGNIZE NOT ONLY THE EXCEPTIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE AWARDEES BEFORE US BUT ALSO TO RENEW THE SHARED COMMITMENT OF THE MINERAL RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT INDUSTRY TO PRIORITIZING RESPONSIBILITY, SUSTAINABILITY, AND INNOVATION FOR GOOD.

THE THEME OF OUR GATHERING, “ENDURANCE AND INNOVATION FOR SUSTAINABILITY,” SPEAKS TO THE VERY HEART OF OUR JOURNEY IN THE MINING SECTOR—A JOURNEY THAT IS COMPLEX, AT TIMES CHALLENGING, BUT ULTIMATELY REWARDING AS WE WORK TOWARD A FUTURE THAT SEEKS TO ACHIEVE OUR PHILIPPINE DEVELOPOMENT GOALS BY ADDRESSING OUR SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL AND ECONOMIC NEEDS THROUGH RESPONSIBLE MINING.

THIS EVENT IS A TIME TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE TRANS-DISCIPLINARY APPROACHES THAT ENGAGE SCIENCE AND LOCAL AND TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE, ENDURANCE AND RESILIENCE REQUIRED TO OPERATE WITHIN OUR UNIQUE LANDSCAPE, AS WELL AS THE TECHNICAL AND SOCIAL INNOVATIONS NEEDED TO MAKE A MEANINGFUL DIFFERENCE IN OUR COMMUNITIES. THE PATH TO RESPONSIBLE MINING REQUIRES BOTH PASSION AND COMPASSION, TENACITY, AND A DEEP SENSE OF PURPOSE. TONIGHT’S AWARDEES EXEMPLIFY THESE QUALITIES BY PROVING THAT COMMITMENT TO SUSTAINABLE AND RESPONSIBLE MINING PRACTICES IS NOT ONLY POSSIBLE, BUT IT CAN AND SHOULD BE THE STANDARD THAT DRIVES THIS INDUSTRY FORWARD.

AS SECRETARY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES (DENR), I AM HONORED TO REFLECT ON OUR ASPIRATIONS AND ACHIEVEMENTS, LEARN FROM OUR FAILURES AND CHART REDIRECTIONS IN ORDER TO ELEVATE THE STANDARDS THAT WILL PAVE THE WAY TOWARDS A CLIMATE RESILIENT AND LOW CARBON FUTURE FOR OUR COUNTRY

TOWARDS THESE ENDS, OVER THESE PAST FEW YEARS, THE DENR AND ITS MINES AND GEOSCIENCES BUREAU (MGB) HAVE SOUGHT TO INSITUTIONALIZE EFFORTS THAT WE BELIEVE ARE BOTH TRANSFORMATIVE AS THEY ARE PRACTICAL.

A KEY MILESTONE IN OUR EFFORTS IS THE ONGOING DEVELOPMENT OF THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES GEOSPATIAL DATABASE. THIS INNOVATIVE PLATFORM IS BEING DEVELOPED TO SERVE DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS AND ACTIVE MONITORING NEEDS THROUGH REMOTE SENSING AND ADVANCED GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEM (GIS). WE ARE THUS ABLE TO MONITOR ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGES AND TRACK SOCIAL IMPACTS , BY IDENTIFYING LAND DISTURBANCES, MONITORING REHABILITATION ACTIVITIES THAT ENABLE US TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE AS WELL AS BREACHES OF ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS. PREDICTIVE MODELING CAPABILITIES WILL ALLOW THE DATABASE TO ASSESS POTENTIAL IMPACTS OF PROPOSED PROJECTS BEFORE THEY BEGIN, FOSTERING A PREVENTIVE APPROACH TO ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION. BY ANTICIPATING RISKS AND EVALUATING POTENTIAL HARM, ITHIS DATABASE HELPS US ENSURE THAT MINING PROJECTS ARE RESPONSIVE BY ALIGNING PERFORMANCE WITH SUSTAINABILITY GOALS FROM THE OUTSET. JUST AS IMPORTANTLY, IT ALLOWS THE PUBLIC TO ACCESS ESSENTIAL INFORMATION THAT BRINGS ACCOUNTABILITY TO THE INDUSTRY. WE RECOGNIZE THAT DATA IS ONE OF OUR MOST POWERFUL TOOLS FOR SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT, AND BY SHARING INFORMATION, WE ENCOURAGE TRANSPARENCY AND INVITE COLLABORATION IN THE STEWARDSHIP OF OUR RESOURCES.

INNOVATION AND DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION HAVE ALSO BEEN CENTRAL TO OUR STRATEGY FOR SUPPORTING THE INDUSTRY’S RESPONSIBLE GROWTH. IN LINE WITH THIS COMMITMENT, THE DENR HAD EMBARKED ON A COUPLE OF PROJECTS WITH COMPANIES SUCH AS PwC AND DELOITTE IN DIGITIZING DATA AND MAPPING THE MGB PROCEDURES TO FURTHER REDUCE PROCESSING TIMES. THIS YEAR, WE HAVE ALREADY STARTED COMBINING DIGITALIZING WITH THE DIGITIZATION OF BOTH DATA AND PROCESSES FOR EXPLORATION PERMITS AND PSAs AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS. THIS SIGNALS OUR COMMITMENT TO TRANSPARENCY AND EFFICIENCY AS WELL AS A REDUCTION OF BUREAUCRACY. THROUGH THESE CHANGES, AND THE SHIFT TO PARALLEL INSTEAD OF THE HISOTRICAL SEQUENTIAL PROCESSING WE ARE MAKING THE PERMITTING SYSTEM MORE ACCESSIBLE TO RESPONSIBLE STAKEHOLDERS, AND ARE REDUCING OPPORTUNITIES FOR CORRUPTION. THESE STREAMLINED SYSTEM SHOULD BUILD CONFIDENCE IN THE REGULATORY FRAMEWORK THAT GOVERNS OUR MINING SECTOR.

IN ADDITION TO THESE ADVANCEMENTS, WE HAVE ALSO MADE A COMMITMENT TO ADDRESSING THE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON OUR SOCIETY, ENVIRONMENT AND ECONOMY. CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS ARE FELT ACROSS ALL INDUSTRIES, BUT THE MINING SECTOR, IN PARTICULAR, MUST EVOLVE TO MITIGATE ITS ENVIRONMENTAL FOOTPRINT AND THE SOCIAL CONSEQUENCES OF CLIMATE-RELATED THREATS. THIS YEAR, WE HAVE HELD IMPORTANT DISCUSSIONS WITH MANY OF YOU IN ORDER TO ENSURE THAT THE RESILIENCE OF YOUR OPERATIONS ALSO MEANS THE CLIMATE AND DISASTER RESILEINCE OF YOUR HOST AND SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES. OPERATIONALLY, WE HOPE THAT THE ADOPTION OF WEATHER AND GROUND MOVEMENT SENSOR DATA WILL RESULT IN EARLY WARNING FOR EARLY ACTION TO PREVENT HAZARDS FROM BECOMING DISASTERS IN THE FUTURE. WHEN THEY DO HAPPEN, WE ARE WORKING WITH THE LEADERSHIP OF PMSEA TO ENSURE THAT WE CAN RESPOND QUICKLY TO SAVE LIVES AND SECURE LIVELIHOODS OF THOSE AFFECTED. AT THIS POINT, I WISH TO COMMEND ENG. LOUIE SARMIENTO FOR ORGANIZING THE PUSONG MINERO EFFORTS TO RESPOND TO THE UNPRECEDENTED SUCCESSIVE TYPHOONS OVER THESE LAST FEW MONTHS. THE DENR AS A MEMBER OF THE NDRRMC HOPES THAT WE CAN FURTHER STRENGTHEN THIS PARTNERSHIP WITH THE PRIVATE SECTOR TO ACHIEVE RESILIENCE FROM PREVENTION TO RESPONSE AND RECOVERY.

WE HAVE MADE IT A PRIORITY TO ADOPT A CLIMATE-RISK AND DEVELOPMENT PERSPECTIVE IN OUR NATIONAL POLICIES AND PLANNING EFFORTS. I HAVE JUST RETURNED FROM THE CONFERENCE OF PARTIES OF THE CLIMATE CHANGE, COP 29, WHERE THE UNITED NATIONS SECRETARY GENERAL CALLED THE HEADS OF DELEGATIONS OF THE MINERALS RICH AND CLIMATE VULNERABLE DEVELOPING COUNTRIES TO A BY INIVITATION ONLY MEETING. DURING THIS MEETING HE LAUNCHED THE FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CRITICAL ENERGY TRANSITION MINERALS PANEL STUDY WHEREIN HE, ALONG WITH THE INTERNATIONAL ENERGY AGENCY AND OTHERS, WERE ADVANCING IN-COUNTRY PROCESSING INSTEAD OF THE EXPORT OF RAW ORE TO ADDRESS INTERSECTING GOALS OF POVERTY REDUCTION AND THE TRANSTION TO CLEAN ENERGY THROUGH TRANSPARENCY, RESPONSIBILITY AND EQUITY. THIS PANEL RECOGNIZED THAT DEMAND FOR CLEAN ENERGY MINERALS WILL OUTPACE PRODUCTION AND THAT MINERALS RICH YET CLIMATE VULNERABLE DEVELOPING COUNTRIES HAVE A NEW AND UNIQUE, AS WELL AS A COMPETITIVE OPPORTUNITY FOR INCLUSIVE, RESILIENT AND SUSTAINBLE DEVELOPMENT. I URGE YOU ALL TO SEEK OUT THIS REPORT. IT IS NOW PUBLISHED IN THE NET. PLEASE READ IT AS A MATTER OF RESPONSIBILITY IN THIS INDUSTRY.

ON CIRCULARITY AND CLIMATE MITIGATION, THIS APRIL 22, 2024, DURING THE EARTH DAY CELEBRATION, WE LAUNCHED THE PLASTIKALIKASAN PROGRAM – A NATIONWIDE, LONG-TERM PROGRAM THAT AIMS TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM OF PLASTIC WASTES IN MINING SITES AND ITS HOST AND NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES. TO ENSURE CONTINUITY, WASTE MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES UNDER PLASTIKALIKASAN SHALL BE INTEGRATED INTO THE ANNUAL ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM OF ALL MINING AND MINERAL PROCESSING COMPANIES, WITH APPROPRIATE AND SUFFICIENT BUDGET ALLOCATION. COMPANIES ARE ALSO ENJOINED TO CLOSELY COORDINATE WITH THEIR CONCERNED LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS AND THE HOST AND NEIGHBORING MINING COMMUNITIES FOR POSSIBLE PARTNERSHIPS AND COLLABORATIONS.

OUR COMMITMENT TO RESPONSIBLE MINERAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT GOES BEYOND POLICY; IT IS A RESPONSIBILITY WE SHARE WITH EVERYONE IN THIS HALL. WE KNOW THAT MINERALS RESOURCE INDUSTRY CAN CONTIRBUTE TO THE ECONOMIC GROWTH OF THIS COUNTRY. BUT WE ALSO KNOW THAT WITHOUT COMPASSION AND A COMMITMENT TO INFORMED AND RESPONSIBLE MANAGEMENT, BENEFITS CAN VERY EASILY BE OVERSHADOWED BY DESTRUCTION AND HARM.

FINALLY, AT THE HEART OF RESPONSIBLE MINING LIES OUR COMMITMENT TO THE COMMUNITIES AND TO OUR COUNTRY. THIS IS WHY THE DENR HAS PROPOSED A NEW DEPARTMENT ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER THAT INTRODUCES ADDITIONAL GUIDELINES FOR THE SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT AND MANAGEMENT PROGRAM, OR SDMP. THESE GUIDELINES WILL BRING THE LINKAGES BETWEEN THE PHILIPPINE DEVELOPMENT PLAN, AND OUR INTERNATIONAL COMMITMENTS TO THE PARIS AND SENDAI AND THE UNITED NATIONS SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS (SDG) DIRECTLY INTO THE FRAMEWORK OF SDMP, ENSURING THAT THE STRATEGIES, PROGRAMS, PROJECTS, AND ACTIVITIES DEVELOPED BY MINING COMPANIES ALIGN WITH THE BROADER GOALS OF RESILIENT AND SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. OUR AIM IS TO CREATE MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR COMMUNITIES TO BENEFIT FROM THIS INDUSTRY, NOT JUST THROUGH EMPLOYMENT BUT RESULTING THROUGH EFFECTIVE IMPROVEMENTS IN INFRASTRUCTURE, WATER AND ENERGY SECURITY, EDUCATION, HEALTHCARE, SANITATION AND SOCIAL WELFARE. WHEN COMMUNITIES FEEL THESE TANGIBLE BENEFITS FROM MINING, TRUST GROWS, AND THE SECTOR GAINS A MORE IMPACTFUL SOCIAL LICENSE TO OPERATE.

IN THE COMING YEARS, THE DENR AND MGB REMAIN STEADFAST IN OUR GOALS. WE WILL CONTINUE TO PRIORITIZE PARTNERSHIPS THAT FOSTER SOUND SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH, INNOVATION, TRANSPARENCY, AND ACCOUNTABILITY. WE WILL CHAMPION TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENTS THAT STREAMLINE OPERATIONS AND MAKE REGULATORY COMPLIANCE MORE EFFICIENT. AND WE WILL ENSURE THAT THE BENEFITS OF MINERAL RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT ARE SHARED WITH THE COMMUNITIES MOST AFFECTED BY ITS ADVANCEMENT.

TONIGHT, AS WE HONOR THE INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS WHO HAVE SET NEW STANDARDS IN SUSTAINABLE MINING, I AM REMINDED OF THE INCREDIBLE RESILIENCE, KNOWLEDGE, AND INNOVATION THAT DRIVE THIS INDUSTRY. EACH OF YOU HERE REPRESENTS THE FUTURE OF MINING—ONE THAT IS ATTUNED TO THE NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE AND THE ENVIRONMENT. FOR THIS YEAR, WE HAVE ALREADY SEEN THE THIRTEEN (13) PMIEA RECIPIENTS, ELEVEN (11) PLATINUM AWARDEES, AND TWO (2) TITANIUM AWARDEES. MAY YOU CONTINUE TO PROMOTE EXCELLENCE AND BE AN INSPIRATION TO YOUR COLLEAGUES TO STRIVE HARDER IN THE PURSUIT OF RESPONSIBLE MINING.

OUR JOURNEY IS FAR FROM OVER, BUT I AM CONFIDENT THAT TOGETHER WE CAN CREATE AN INDUSTRY THAT SERVES AS A MODEL FOR RESPONSIBLE AND SUSTAINABLE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT. LET TONIGHT’S CELEBRATION INSPIRE US TO KEEP PUSHING FORWARD, TO KEEP INNOVATING, AND TO KEEP BUILDING AN INDUSTRY THAT THIS GENERATION AND FUTURE GENERATIONS CAN AND WILL BE PROUD OF.

MARAMING SALAMAT PO!