Canada envoy vows to help drive Philippine economic growth, empower communities --- Philstar.com

MANILA, Philippines – Canadian Ambassador to the Philippines David Hartman has pledged to firm up his country’s shared commitment to help “drive economic growth and empower communities” through responsible and sustainable mining in the Philippines through its local partners running mining operations in Masbate province. In his recent visit to the Philippines, the Canadian Ambassador, along with Embassy of Canada’s Senior Trade Commissioner Guy Boileau, toured the mining and milling operations plus the vast environmental programs and various social programs being implemented by the two firms operating inside the Masbate Gold Project (MGP) site in Aroroy town in Masbate. The tour was highlighted by his visit to one of the firm’s mangrove reforestation sites. They were accompanied by officials of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). Filminera Resources Corporation (Filminera) and Phil Gold Processing & Refining Corp. (PhilGold) are the two firms operating inside the Masbate Gold Project site. Canada-based B2Gold has minority interest in Filminera, which holds mining permits and surface rights, plus an environmental compliance certificate (ECC) in the Aroroy minesite. On the other hand, Phil Gold, which runs the gold processing plant, is wholly owned by the same Canadian firm. The mangrove reforestation project visited by the Ambassador is undertaken by Filminera and Phil Gold along the coastal barangays of Aroroy, Masbate. To date, there are 3.22 million mangrove seedlings planted with 90% survival rate within 2,658 hectares of coastal areas surrounding the mine site. Ambassador Hartman cited the value of “sustainable partnerships in the extractive industries,” geared, not only for economic prosperity, but for “ensuring responsible stewardship of resources for the benefit of present and future generations.” “This is precisely what the Masbate Gold Project is all about,” the Canadian chief diplomat pointed out, adding: “Canada remains steadfast in its commitment to fostering these partnerships, driving economic growth, and empowering communities in Masbate and across the Philippines.” For his part, during the same visit, DENR Undersecretary Carlos Primo David commended the reforestation efforts in both upland and coastal areas, being carried out by Filminera and Phil. Gold. He underscored the imperative that two firms must continue to greatly contribute to the environmental preservation and conservation of Masbate Province. B2Gold is a low-cost international senior gold producer based in Vancouver in Canada. It operates mine sites in other countries -- including Namibia and Mali and is constructing a new mine in northern Canada. Among the mangrove species included in the plantation are Gapas gapas (Camptostemon philippinenses), an endangered species according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List & DENR Administrative Order (DAO) 2017-11; Pagatpat (Sonneratia ovata), which is an edible mangrove species and considered as near threatened according to IUCN Red list and Bantigue (Pemphis acidula), another endangered according to DAO 2017-11. The Ambassador also visited the Automated Mist Clonal Nursery, a project that plays a significant role in the two firms’ reforestation efforts for the municipality of Aroroy, as well as the livelihood of the community. Situated just outside the mine site, it provides access to community residents who avail of the seedlings for their own businesses, or just to beautify their backyards. The 2,586-sqm forest and fruit trees nursery can accommodate more than 75,000 seedlings — a commitment to reforestation and even afforestation as part of their vital strategy to mitigate the environmental impact of mining and restore biodiversity, prevent soil erosion, and preserve watershed areas crucial for local ecosystems.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

PCG: China’s bullying in West Philippine Sea undermines international law --- Ghio Ong - The Philippine Star

MANILA, Philippines — Letting China sustain its aggression in the West Philippine Sea would make other countries doubt the strength of international law currently being asserted by the Philippines, Commodore Jay Tarriela of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said. “Allowing China to blatantly disregard the established rules-based order threatens the very foundation that we all depend on,” he wrote in a post on X last Tuesday. He added, “If we permit this, countries worldwide may forget why this order was created in the first place. Nations could begin to doubt the significance of adhering to international law if powerful bullies can easily violate it.” Tarriela also said defiance of other countries to a rules-based order would result in the prevalence of cruelty. He wrote, “This could lead us back to a time when might makes right, undermining the global structures that keep human greed, savagery and barbarism in check. Such a scenario would not only invite challenges from aggressive ...
Read more

China ships maintain presence in key West Philippine Sea areas --- Michael Punongbayan - The Philippine Star

STAR / Michael Varcas MANILA, Philippines — While Chinese vessels in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) have decreased in number, they have maintained a presence in three key land features where naval and coast guard ships have intensified operations in the past seven days, according to the Philippine Navy. Latest monitoring by the Philippine Navy showed armed ships of the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) maintaining a menacing presence around the grounded BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal, Panatag Shoal and Escoda Shoal. According to the Philippine Navy, there are 17 Chinese military vessels and 28 China Coast Guard (CCG) boats spotted inside the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) between Sept. 23 and 30, or one vessel more than in the previous week Sept.17-23. Five of the warships were seen roaming around the vicinity of Escoda Shoal, along with 10 CCG vessels and 12 maritime militia vessels (MMVs). There are also two PLAN ships in Ayungin Shoal as well as 10 CCG boats and 12...
Read more

Social media seen as cause of rising intermarriages --- Helen Flores - The Philippine Star

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) sees social media as the main reason for the rising number of Filipinos marrying or becoming partners of foreign nationals. In 2022, the CFO recorded 6,854 marriages or partnerships with foreign nationals, a 40.1 percent increase from the 4,891 “intermarriages” recorded in 2021. “First of all, what we see in the increase in the marriage rate of Filipinos or Filipinos with foreign partners is because of social media, (that) is number one; matchings; letters, introduction of their friends,” CFO chairperson Romulo Arugay said at the Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon public briefing yesterday. Arugay said the agency has been registering a high number of intermarriages since 2007, but the figures went down during the COVID-19 pandemic. From over 6,500 Filipinos who married foreign nationals, only 600 are men, he said. Most of them are married to Americans, Japanese, Germans, Canadians and Australians, Arugay said. Arugay warned Fi...
Read more