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Awardees from the mining industry posed with DENR Regional Executive Director Edilberto S. Buiser and DENR-Environmental Management Bureau Regional Director Ester Olavides.

Last June 10, 2010,  the Department of Environment and Natural Resources celebrated its 23rd anniversary with a simple ceremony at the DENR Regional Office in Butuan City  by giving awards and commendations to  DENR –Caraga personnel and partners who in one way or another have contributed to the successful implementation of the DENR programs.

Among those commended were the mining companies in Caraga Region like Cagdianao Mining Corporation (CMC) , Philsaga Mining Corporation (PSMC) and MRL Gold Phils. (MRL) for their contribution in Reforestation Program and Integrated Coastal Management Program. Reforestation programs are being undertaken by the mining companies in their claimed areas and communities and Philsaga Mining Corporation is among the mining companies who have been in the forefront of initiating best practices in reforestation through their Mining Forest Program.

Cagdianao Mining Corporation and MRL Gold Phils., Inc. on the other hand, were commended  for their efforts in Coastal Management . CMC on his part was involved in the protection of the coastal areas known as the Gaas Bay Marine Protected Area and  in rehabilitating the Mangrove areas. The same is true for MRL  who have been  implementing  the program not as a mandatory requirement for the company but as a sheer commitment in the protection of the environment.

Also awarded are two long-time partners in development of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau-Caraga: REACH Foundation  and the Diocese of Surigao. REACH FOUNDATION INC. is an environmental NGO based in Surigao City with  community development  interventions in various mining communities  in Surigao del Norte and Dinagat Islands. While the Diocese of Surigao is our partner from the religious sector which jurisdiction covers the entire province of Surigao del Norte and Dinagat Islands.

REACH has been the partner NGO of MGB-13 since the creation of the  Multi-partite Monitoring  Teams (MMT )and  Mine Rehabilitation Fund Committees  (MRFC) in the region. They are a regular member  of the  MMTs and MRFC s for several mining companies  to ensure implementation of the environmental programs.

Aside from their involvement in our environmental activities, they  likewise provided technical inputs for the successful implementation of our Social and Development and Management Programs for the host and neighboring communities. REACH FOUNDATION INC.’s  partnership  served as the agencies’ catalyzer and critic which we found helpful in improving our service to the public.

On the other hand, the Diocese of Surigao stood pat on their support for responsible mining even if this ran contrary to the stand of the Catholic Bishop’s Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), the staunch opposition of mining.

The Diocese of Surigao joins us in pursuing environmental protection activities and community development programs and in many instances have provided  the MGB-Caraga office its  guidance for  effective leadership and good governance.

This simple token from the agency is our way of recognizing their contribution to the mining industry in Caraga Region.