OceanaGold Philippines Inc. remains optimistic it can still renew its financial or technical assistance agreement (FTAA) with the national government for its Didipio gold and copper mining operations despite being on a standstill due to opposition from the local government of Nueva Vizcaya.
However, the company also warned it may start cutting its workforce by the end of the month.
“The Office of the President (OP) is still reviewing things and we understand that they have their own timeline. We are very positive that we will get it because they are very responsive and we conduct regular meetings with the national government,” Marjorie Idio, OceanaGold PH communications and external affairs superintendent, said in a briefing yesterday in Makati City.
Idio added the company’s optimism is also rooted in the fact it got the support of the regulators, the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), which expressed that Oceana Gold PH can continue its operations in the country even if it is still in the process of renewing the FTAA.
Despite the assurance from the MGB and DENR, the local government of Nueva Vizcaya is barring the company’s access to and from the mine site since OceanaGold’s FTAA expired in June 2019.
“We are confident we can get the FTAA renewed so we do not want to let go of our employees. However, if we can’t get the FTAA by the end of February, impact would be on staff numbers. We haven’t decided yet on how to do it,” Melissa Bowerman, OceanaGold corporate communications manager, said.
At present, the company directly employs over 1,500 in the Didipio mine site, of which 97 percent are Philippine nationals and 59 percent are from local communities.
The OP initially declined OceanaGold PH’s appeal to renew its FTAA due to questions flagged by the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP).
