Maniolas

Diokno says government-to-government deals will help in areas where private contractors may be hesitant to go because of security concerns. Philstar.com/File photo MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines may resort to hiring out-of-school youth to form large construction crews to speed up public spending, especially in rebel-held areas, which the Duterte government aims to penetrate. After unveiling higher budget deficit under its proposed P3.35-trillion budget next year, the new administration wants to make sure agencies do not underspend to the detriment of economic growth. “In the past, private contractors are afraid to go into rebel-infested areas because of the conflict. Our modality here is to make it a government-to-government transaction,” Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno told The STAR in an interview. “We will create engineering brigades, we will buy equipment for them, and they will be the ones to build the infrastructure,” he said. The proposal, which will put up to 1,200 people per group under the Philippine Army, will occupy areas such as in Mindanao, where rebels are still trying to finalize a new peace pact with President Rodrigo Duterte, who hailes from the same region. In that particular area, Diokno said project progress will be monitored by no less than the Office of the Presidential Adviser for the Peace Process. “Projects from school buildings to farm-to-market roads will be undertaken by these brigades, which in a way will shorten the contracting process because there is no private sector involved,” he explained. The idea will come on top of a round-the-clock public Read More …

The Hinatuan Mining Corp. is seeking for further explanation from the Environment department and the audit team and an appeal to lift the suspension. ABS-CBN PR/File/Released GUIUAN, Eastern Samar — Miners and residents of Manicani mine of the Hinatuan Mining Corp. (HMC) has called the ongoing audit of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) as “unfair and baseless” and appealed for the lifting of its ore transport permit suspension. “The audit is unfair. It did not pass through the right procedure. We were audited for three hours only. They have not given us any opportunity to talk to them. We want to express our side,” HMC Community Relations Manager Francis Malones said. “Majority [of the residents] does not know what is happening. They [audit team] only checked our ECC (environment compliance certificate) and safety plan. The suspension was only coursed through our head office,” he added. “We were supposed to know the results right after the audit. But we were only informed days after that,” he added. The HMC is seeking for further explanation from the DENR and the audit team and an appeal to lift the suspension. “Nickel Asia has volunteered to appeal for a re-audit and we are ready anytime,” HMC Project Manager Manolito Javar said. “We are waiting for the DENR to schedule the audit of the HMC stockpile removal operations on Manicani as soon as possible so that the loading can resume leading to the removal of an environmental hazard and the generation of much needed income Read More …

The suspension is part of a DENR audit on mining in the Philippines. Danny Jovica, File GUIUAN, EASTERN SAMAR, Philippines — Miners and residents of Manicani mine of the Hinatuan Mining Corp. have called the ongoing audit of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) “unfair and baseless” and appealed for the lifting of the suspension of its ore transport permit. “The audit is unfair. It did not pass through the right procedure. We were audited for three hours only. They have not given us any opportunity to talk to them. We want to express our side,” HMC community relations manager Francis Malones said. “Majority [of the residents] does not know what is happening. They [audit team] only checked our ECC (environment compliance certificate) and safety plan. The suspension was only coursed through our head office,” he added. “We were supposed to know the results right after the audit. But we were only informed days after that,” he added. The HMC is seeking further explanation from the DENR and the audit team and an appeal to lift the suspension. “Nickel Asia has volunteered to appeal for a re-audit and we are ready anytime,” HMC project manage Manolito Javar said. “We are waiting for the DENR to schedule the audit of the HMC stockpile removal operations on Manicani as soon as possible so that the loading can resume leading to the removal of an environmental hazard and the generation of much needed income for the residents,” NAC Corporate Communications vice Read More …