DENR to conduct confiscation proceeding on seized magnetite sand in Cam Norte

Wednesday, 20 June 2012 14:15 |

The Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) will conduct next week a confiscation proceeding on the 50,000 metric tons of magnetite sand earlier seized by a joint team of the DENR and the Philippine National Police (PNP) in a mining area in Paracale, Camarines Norte.

“Under the proceeding, the owners of the seized iron ores, Uni-Dragon Mining Development Corporation (Uni-Dragon) and Philippine Bao Tong, will be accorded with due process by giving them opportunity to present evidences and prove why the iron ores should not be confiscated in favor of the government,” MGB Director Leo Jasareno explained.

On June 15, 2012, a joint team composed of personnel from the DENR and the PNP seized an estimated 50,000 metric tons of magnetite sand (iron ore) stockpiled near the private wharf of Uni-Dragon and Philippine Bao Tong in Paracale, Camarines Norte after being alerted by some local government officials in the area.

In a report to DENR Secretary Ramon J. P. Paje, Jasareno said the magnetite sand were about to be shipped to China when four personnel from the MGB-Region 5, assisted by eight police officers from the Mobile Group of PNP-Region 5 based in Legazpi City, swooped down the area.

Jasareno said that a cargo ship M/V Peace Angel was seen by the raiding team anchored at a distance of about a kilometer offshore from the mining area, and was believed to be waiting for iron ore to be loaded into it when the team arrived at the area. It was reportedly bound for China.

Jasareno said that Uni-Dragon and its business partner Philippine Bao Tong had defied the Cease-and-Desist Order (CDO) issued by the MGB last year, and continued with their mining and stockpiling operations despite a previous seizure issued on September 11, 2011 covering about 35,000 metric tons of magnetite sand also stockpiled by them.

“The shipment and extraction of the magnetite sand are considered illegal because, aside from the fact that Uni-Dragon and Philippine Bao Tong could not present a Mineral Ore Export Permit (MOEP) from MGB, the mining companies are not allowed to commercially extract and dispose the minerals because the two Mineral Production Sharing Agreements (MPSAs) issued to them are still under exploration,” Jasareno said.

The two MPSAs were issued to the mining companies on November 4, 2008, covering some 282 hectares in Barangay Bagong Bayan, Paracale in Camarines Norte,” Jasareno said.

He also said the mining companies have yet to file an application for declaration of mining project feasibility and mine development work program at the MGB, which shall be the basis of evaluation to be conducted by MGB’s technical panel.

EnvironmentNatural Resources Secretary Ramon J. P. Paje rallied last week his field officials to ensure the success of the National Greening Program, saying the program has full support of the President.

“There is no reason to fail considering that President Aquino has amply given all the support this program (NGP) needs to succeed,” Paje told the regional executive directors (REDs), regional technical directors, and the provincial and community environment and natural resources officers (PENROs, CENROs) attending the 2-day National Convention of Field Officers held May 31-June 1, 2011 at the DENR Social Hall in Quezon City.

Paje also challenged the field officials “to give their best shot” as their performance in implementing the NGP will be “highly taken into consideration’ in the evaluation of officials for promotions.

“Those who will be performing will be rewarded. Wala pong biro yan,” Paje said, stressing that the field officers will be evaluated fairly based on a purely-merit system “without regard for personal ties or past associations” he has made through over 20 years at the DENR where he started his career as a casual forester.

Paje said the NGP-driven performance-based incentive scheme will first zero in on the PENRO and CENRO positions, with an instruction to DENR Assistant Secretary for Management and Finance Corazon Davis to reserve the vacant PENRO and CENRO posts as rewards for NGP’s top performers especially those that are on an acting capacity.

“If you are a CENRO, you will automatically become a PENRO. Those who are not yet full-pledged CENRO (with temporary appointment), we will make you full-pledged CENROs. Performance lamang, wala nang iba,” Paje stressed.

Of the 168 CENRO plantilla positions, 47 have yet to be filled; while 25 remain vacant in the 73 PENRO plantilla posts.

The incentive scheme forms part of Paje’s overall program to strengthen DENR’s performance-based promotion system to beef up the national leadership’s efforts in professionalizing the Philippine bureaucracy.

But Paje was quick to clarify that the quality of their performance will be determined by the survival of the seedling declared in their performance and not merely on the number of seedling planted.

“Remember, the NGP is a national priority program of President Aquino, and this is not for show but for grow. Gone are the days when tree planting activities were just to set world records or just for photo opportunities,” Paje noted.

At the same time, Paje asked “doubting Thomases” to be forthcoming this early with their hesitation to go all out to meet their targets to allow for management to act appropriately in their particular case.

“We will make sure that everybody performs. Kung sino sa inyo ang tingin ay hindi kayang ipatupad ang programang ito, sabihin na ninyo ngayon,” Paje said.

The performance-based incentive will be based on the field officials’ scorecard in the yearly targets given them and will be validated with the use of state-of-the art technology such as satellite mapping and internet-based technology through NGP’s website at the www.ngp.denr.gov.ph

< Prev		Next >