Cordi agencies to streamline Minahang Bayan applications

By Marlo T. Lubguban

BAGUIO CITY – Cordillera regional government agencies agreed to adjust their respective processes to streamline application and issuance of Minahang Bayan permits and hasten 57 pending applications all over the region.

This was announced during the second quarter watershed and environmental management committee, chaired by Dept. of Environamnt and Natural Resources executive director Ralph Pablo and co-chaired by Regional Development Council private sector representative Dr. Julie Cabato here recently at DENR-Cordillera Administrative Region conference hall.
The Mines and Geoscience Bureau Cordillera said their central office will defer evaluation of mining areas applied for Minahang Bayan to the Cordillera regional office.

Previously, the MGB-CAR endorsed applications to their central office in Manila after area evaluation.

As of May, 18 applications have been pending in this stage.

It was identified as a bottleneck in the Minahang Bayan application process.

Now, MGB-CAR will handle the evaluations of the areas and directly issue notices of application once evaluations pass.
The National Commission on Indigenous Peoples Cordillera cited need to conduct free, prior, and informed consent (FPIC) process after declaration of a Minahang Bayan and during awarding of the mining contract.

This is in recognition that majority of applicants come from Indigenous Cultural Communities and are indigenous peoples.

According to MGB-CAR, there are 57 pending applications in Cordillera.

There is only one declared Minahang Bayan site signed on May 2 located in Loacan, Itogon, Benguet covering around 64 hectares. 

NCIP officials said the FPIC is required to ensure involvement of indigenous communities

There are three other areas waiting to be declared as Minahang Bayan, one in Apayao, one in Benguet, and one in Mountain Province.

These areas have been cleared by DENR Secretary Roy Cimatu and are currently awaiting the issuance of the Environmental Compliance Certificate.

 Additionally, there are six more sites, three in Apayao, one in Kalinga, and one in Mountain Province, that have been endorsed to the DENR Secretary for clearance.
NEDA-CAR and RDC-CAR officials said small-scale mining is an industry and major source of livelihood in rural areas.

The region’s highest policy-making body, through the Regional Development Plan, aims to improve the regulation of small-scale mining pursuant to RA 7076 or the People’s Small-Scale Mining Act of 1991.

The NEDA-CAR, as secretariat of the RDC, urged regulation of small-scale mining to promote safety and mitigate environmental damage.