The Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) yesterday said the Mineral Production Sharing Agreement (MPSA) between the government and Ipilan Nickel Corp. (INC) remains in force and valid until April 10, 2025 despite protests from locals on the company’s operations in Brooke’s Point, Palawan.
Residents said the company has been operating without a mayor’s permit.
MGB said a valid MPSA allows INC to maintain its exclusive right to conduct responsible mining operations in the area covering 2,835 hectares with 260 hectares partially declared as a mining area.
INC said Glen Marcelo Noble, regional director of MGB in Mimaropa, explained this in a letter dated Feb. 21, 2023 to Brooke’s Point Vice Mayor Mary Jean Feliciano in response to a resolution by the Sangguniang Bayan (SB) of the municipality.
The resolution of SB sought to investigate the operations of INC following claims the alleged renewal of its MPSA in 2018 was without the endorsement of the municipality of Brooke’s Point and that it is operating without a certificate of precondition (CP) from the National Commission of Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) and a Protected Area Management Board (PAMB) clearance.
Noble said INC does not need to secure a CP as the company is not covered by this requirement.
INC said it has concluded the process of securing a CP in preparation for the renewal of its MPSA in 2025. It added during a series of community consultations last June to August 2022 about 3,739 indigenous peoples (IPs) from barangays Aribungos and Calasaguen voted in favor of the company’s operations against 614 dissenters from barangay Aribungos.
IPs from Barangays Barong-Barong, Ipilan, Mambalot and Maasin then conceded in favor of INC, the company said.
INC said MGB stated there is no need for a PAMB clearance as the MPSA predates the proposed final boundary of the Mt. Mantalingahan protected landscape.
Alex Arabis, resident mine manager of INC, said they are still awaiting for the renewal of their mayor’s permit following submission of all documents and compliance to all laws and regulations.
