Mining appeal, green wish list greet next DENR chief
The Chamber of Mines of the Philippines (COMP) welcomed his appointment on Saturday, expressing optimism that he would continue the programs of his predecessor, Maria Antonio Yulo-Loyzaga
Secretary Raphael Lotilla, who was appointed by President Marcos to head the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), is already coming under pressure from environmental groups and big business even before he walks into his new office from the Department of Energy (DOE) in the ongoing Cabinet shake-up.
The Chamber of Mines of the Philippines (COMP) welcomed his appointment on Saturday, expressing optimism that he would continue the programs of his predecessor, Maria Antonio Yulo-Loyzaga.
COMP chair Michael Toledo said in a statement that the chamber was referring specifically to the establishment of “an enabling environment for mining, including the reduction of the mining and exploration permitting process as well as other investment-friendly initiatives.”
The miners’ group said Lotilla’s appointment will help the industry unlock its full potential. Toledo said the new environment chief’s “extensive experience” as a professor, lawyer, chief executive officer, legislative liaison and energy secretary would be “invaluable” in his new job.
“We are particularly excited to see under Sec. Lotilla’s leadership the fruition of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s vision for maximizing the full potential of the Philippine minerals development industry in improving the lives of present and future generations of Filipinos without compromising the integrity of the environment,” he said.
Cautious optimism
The antimining group Alyansa Tigil Mina (ATM) viewed the leadership shuffle “with cautious optimism,” but “not appealing” to the environmental and climate justice movements.
“We welcome the initiative of the Marcos administration to explore governance reforms mid-term of their tenure,” ATM told the Inquirer.
ATM also noted that the environmental organizations had filed a case against the incoming environment chief for endorsing the expansion of a coal-powered plant in Cebu during his stint as energy secretary.
Fairer tax regime
Former Finance Undersecretary Cielo Magno, who monitors the mining industry, called on Lotilla to enforce better regulatory and environmental policies that would give more benefit to the people.
“Hopefully, aside from promoting investments in mining, he would review and enforce stronger environmental regulations, implement beneficial ownership disclosure in the contracting process and support a fairer mining tax regime that favor the people and government instead of the mining companies,” Magno said.
Lotilla is familiar with good governance practices in the extractive sectors through the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (Eiti), a global organization that promotes the good governance of oil, gas and mineral resources.
Magno, a former Eiti board member, said mineral-rich countries, such as Indonesia, were assessing their tax regimes to increase overall state revenue from mineral extraction.
She urged Lotilla to initiate the review on the pending mining royalty bill, saying it was “disadvantageous to the government and the people.”
Dialogue proposed
Toledo expressed the group’s readiness to collaborate with Lotilla on various initiatives aimed at enhancing the environmental, social and governance performance of mining contractors, specifically through its Towards Sustainable Mining program.
ATM challenged Lotilla to implement a clear transition of administrative and policy reforms in the agency to ensure the continuity of the “positive changes” initiated by Yulo-Loyzaga.
It proposed a dialogue between the secretary and various environmental groups to discuss the priorities of affected communities.
During Yulo-Loyzaga’s tenure, the DENR started reviewing the policies on the mining sector as part of broader efforts to promote a more stable and sustainable industry while protecting the environment.
‘Stay true to mandate’
The agency said last year that it was drafting an executive order with the Department of Finance to provide a clear-cut policy on mining royalty while waiting for the approval of a related draft bill.
The DENR also rolled out a digital application process in three regions, including Caraga and Davao, to simplify the permitting process and reduce waiting time while eliminating indiscretions.
Other environmental groups and people’s organizations laid down challenges for Lotilla, like reversing the administration’s “pronuclear and profossil fuel stance.”
Greenpeace Southeast Asia noted that Lotilla was taking over as environment secretary at a time of “worsening climate, pollution and biodiversity crisis.”
“We urge him to stay true to the mandate of the DENR to protect and conserve the environment for the welfare of present and future generations of Filipinos,” said Jasper Inventor, executive director of Greenpeace Southeast Asia.
Inventor described Lotilla’s track record at the DOE was “less than desirable.”
The energy department took “aggressive moves to enable dangerous nuclear energy, promote fossil gas, and reverse the moratorium on coal-fired power plants,” he said.
Climate crisis
“We challenge Sec. Lotilla to leave behind these old interests, turn a new page under his new mandate and work to reverse the pronuclear and profossil fuel stance of the administration,” Inventor said.
He pointed out that the Philippines was one of the countries most exposed to the climate crisis and hoped that Lotilla would heed the calls of civil society groups, the academe and climate survivors for climate justice and accountability from “large polluting” corporations.
Lotilla’s new role should be a “leverage” for him in taking a “bold and decisive action” to support the passage of House Bill No. 9609, or the Climate Accountability Bill (Clima Act), at the House of Representatives in 2023, Inventor said.
The proposed law will make it possible to hold big corporations accountable for their roles in climate change, including making reparations.
The Save Laguna Lake Movement (SLLM) said Lotilla should reject the floating solar power project in Laguna because of its possible “adverse impacts” on the livelihood of fisherfolk and coastal residents in the province.
According to fishers’ group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya), the project will cover around 2,000 hectares of Laguna de Bay, the country’s largest lake. The lake area is about 76,000 hectares.
‘Wide rejection’
Pamalakaya chair Fernando Hicap said the Laguna Lake Development Authority signed the solar project with the Ayala-led ACEN Corp.
“There is a wide rejection from fisherfolk and residents on this floating solar project that will occupy the traditional fishing grounds there,” Chris Baysa, SLLM convenor, said in a statement.
Baysa disclosed that SLLM may request a meeting with Lotilla after he assumes office.
Hicap said that Lotilla should also revoke all environmental permits granted by Loyzaga to other “destructive projects,” such as reclamation and seabed quarrying, Hicap said.
“The new DENR chief should revamp the policies of the DENR into a people-oriented and rights-based approach on environmental protection and climate change adaptation,” he said.
