Photo Release

Fully opening the mining industry: Sen. Nancy Binay expresses belief that in order to fully open the country’s mining industry and maximize its potential, the government needs to allocate the right funding to agencies in charge of implementing mining laws. Binay, during the Finance Subcommittee B hearing on the proposed P23-billion budget of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Tuesday, October 11, 2022, noted that violations are being committed by both large and small-scale miners and unless DENR is given enough funding for it to monitor and make sure that mining firms are following the law, it is unlikely for the country to open fully the mining industry. DENR Sec. Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga agreed with Binay adding that the Mines and Geosciences Bureau was only given P1.39 billion which is too small compared to the scale of resources that it is supposed to be overseeing, managing, protecting and possibly enhancing. (Screen grab/Senate PRIB)