The Mines and Geosciences Bureau Regional Office No. XIlI participated in the 1st National Community Relations Officers’ and Practitioners’ Congress on September 17 to 19, 2025 at Caraga State University in Ampayon, Butuan City.
The event was spearheaded by the National Community Relations Practitioners of the Philippine Mining and Minerals Industry (NCRPP) in partnership with the Community Relations, Education and Development Officers Organization-Caraga, Inc. (CREDO-Caraga, Inc.)
With the theme “Bridging Perspectives, Building the Future: A Congress for Shared Progress,” the congress brought together Community Relations Officers and Practitioners from across the country, along with MGB personnel from the Central Office and Regional Offices. It served as a venue for collaboration, knowledge-sharing and capacity-building to improve social development efforts in mining communities.
The three-day event featured plenary sessions, workshops and discussions designed to enhance community engagement and development strategies. It also created opportunities for networking and exchanging best practices among mining companies.
The event included the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement between the Department of Tourism, MGB Regional Office No. XIII, Chamber of Mines Caraga Region, Inc., CREDO-Caraga, Inc., and Caraga Mine Environmental Management Council, Inc. for the Mining Tourism Initiative in Caraga.
Recognizing mining and tourism as major economic drivers, the parties committed to collaborate in promoting and developing mining tourism in the region.
Benchmarking activities also took place before the event concluded. Participants visited Agata Nature’s Farm (formerly Agata Mining Ventures, Inc.), which showcased its Final Mine Rehabilitation and/or Decommissioning Plan (FMR/DP) as a model of responsible mining and ecotourism. In the same way, another group of participants also visited the mining communities of Taganito HPAL Nickel Corporation to learn from its best practices and successful livelihood implementation under the SDMP which could be replicated and adapted in their respective areas. The event emphasized the important role of community relations in mining. It showed how teamwork, shared learning, and strong partnerships can help achieve responsible mining and sustainable development for communities.
