By Bilyonaryo.com | July 12, 2026

(PHOTO: BILYONARYO.COM)

Mining companies must rehabilitate areas they have exhausted before moving into new sections of their approved sites, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources said as it tightened scrutiny of operations in Palawan.

Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer Felizardo Cayatoc said companies are required to restore mined-out land under an approved rehabilitation plan before expanding extraction within their contract areas.

“When the mining company moves to another area of operation, it must rehabilitate the area it has mined out,” Cayatoc said during a visit to mining sites in Palawan on Thursday and Friday.

Compliance is checked through quarterly inspections by a Multi-Tripartite Monitoring Team composed of representatives from the DENR, local governments, people’s organizations, universities and religious groups.

The DENR also continues monitoring rehabilitated sites after mining operations end. Companies are generally given six years to restore mined-out areas before the sites are turned over for long-term management.

“It is the responsibility of the company to at least bring back the forest that was removed during mining,” Cayatoc said. “They also have to nurture and take care of the trees.”

Cayatoc said the DENR screens proposed mining sites before issuing a Mineral Production Sharing Agreement, or MPSA.

Applications covering protected areas, watersheds and wildlife habitats are rejected because mining is prohibited in those locations.

He also clarified that an approved MPSA does not allow a company to mine its entire contract area. Only designated portions may be developed, while other sections are reserved for environmental protection, tree planting and rehabilitation.

The requirements are enforced under Republic Act 7942, or the Philippine Mining Act. Mining companies in Palawan must also comply with the province’s Strategic Environmental Plan.

Rio Tuba Nickel Corp. environmental manager Janice Tupas said rehabilitation begins with recontouring and stabilizing the land, followed by soil replacement and revegetation using native and endemic tree species.

“Our ultimate goal is to restore biodiversity and the functionality of the area,” Tupas said. “If it was previously a forest, even if we cannot restore exactly the same forest, we aim to bring it as close as possible to its previous state.”

At Berong Nickel Corp., environmental protection officer Jaypee Dela Cruz said rehabilitation continues for years after mining ends.

He said the company tracks the condition of rehabilitated areas from the first year through the 15th year and prioritizes tree species naturally found within the mining complex.

Dela Cruz said planted trees have a survival rate of about 97%.

Berong has also completed about 80% of the rehabilitation of its 137-hectare target area. Earthworks are expected to be finished before the company shifts its focus to tree planting.

Cayatoc said rehabilitation may not recreate the original forest exactly, but sustained restoration can return the land to forest cover and restore its ecological functions.

Source: Bilyonaryo.com

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