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By Ira Karen Apanay, Reporter
ENVIRONMENT Secretary Lito Atienza said the government will soon
require all minerals shipped out of the country to be covered by a
mineral exports permits (MEPs), to address the rampant
undervaluation, misdeclaration and illegal exportation of minerals.
Atienza said his department is now drafting a
policy that would revive the issuance of the permits that will
document the export of all mineral ores, minerals, mineral products
and byproducts, including gold bullions.
He said issuance of permits will assure that the
government gets its rightful share from the development of the
country’s mineral resources.
“With the issuance of MEPs, we will be able to
address many of the issues that seem to defeat the purpose of the
revitalization of the mining industry. This will effectively
establish a mechanism to monitor the transport of minerals and
mineral products and by-products, to ensure that they are extracted
from legitimate sources, pay proper taxes, and that the right
tonnage, grade and volume are declared properly,” Atienza said.
The Environment chief further said that the
policy being proposed, which will come in the form of an executive
order to be issued by the Office of the President, will require all
mining permits and contract holders, including small-scale mining
permit holders, to obtain the permits from the department.
Atienza said the move also seeks to protect the
reputation of the Philippines as a mineral exporting country.
An old requirement
Mining companies and mineral traders used to
seek an export clearance from the government before their minerals
and products are allowed to exit Philippine ports.
However, this requirement was eliminated
following export liberalization, Atienza said.
“The revival of such requirement has now
become necessary in the wake of widespread undervaluation,
misdeclaration, illegal exportation of minerals and mineral
products,” Atienza said.
He also said the use of the permits will also
help track down illegal mining activities, particularly large-scale
operators that hide under the skirt of small-scale mining permits.
These large-scale operators also allegedly do not pay the right
amount of taxes.
Atienza said small-scale mining permit holders
also tend to produce and sell in huge bulks without determining the
appropriate quantity and quality of minerals, which is
disadvantageous to the government.
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