The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) has cited the positive contributions of mining in Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, and Palawan (MIMAROPA).
At the PIO Palawan Stakeholders Congress on Mining and the Environment held last week, NEDA MIMAROPA regional director Agustin Mendoza said the region is the second-largest nickel ore producer in the Philippines after Surigao del Sur in Caraga,
Nickel and copper dominate production in both volume and value in the metallic minerals-rich region.
Mendoza said mining has provided jobs for 7,000 to 9,500 individuals pre-pandemic. This number rose significantly post-lockdowns, with over 12,000 people employed in 2022 alone.
“Although the percentage share to total employed persons in the region is less than 1 percent, it is still very significant because if you employed 12,000 (individuals) with a family of four, that’s 12,000 times four benefiting directly from mining,” said Mendoza on the multiplier effect of mining on livelihood sustainability.
Mendoza said the mining and quarrying subsector ranked as the fourth-largest contributor to MIMAROPA’s Gross Regional Domestic Product, accounting for 9.5 percent.
“From 2017 to 2022, 90 percent of the region’s export commodities came from mining, all of which originated from Palawan. The contribution to the country’s exports (earnings), balance of payment, and dollar reserves is significant,” Mendoza said, adding that while the volume of mineral exports has declined, higher global prices have ensured the sector’s continued importance.
Mendoza said taxes, fees, and royalties being collected–mostly from Palawan mines–have steadily risen, contributing a substantial 8.48 percent or P2.5 billion to the national coffers in 2022 alone.
