DIPOLOG CITY (Mindanao Examiner / Jan. 25, 2012) – The National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) has granted a Certificate of Precondition (CP) to TVI Resource Development (Phils.) Inc, fulfilling the Free Prior Informed Consent (FPIC) requirement for a proposed new Mineral Production Sharing Agreement (MPSA) in the Canatuan area in Zamboanga del Norte province in Mindanao.
TVI said it is planning new exploration near Canatuan targeting potential additional resources, which, if confirmed, will extend the mine life of the Canatuan Project.
Signed by NCIP Chair Zenaida Brigida Pawid, the CP was immediately forwarded to Leo Jasareno, Director of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) for his action.
Renne Subido, vice president for Social Commitment of TVIRD said they fully complied with the requirements mandated by the Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act (IPRA) that include conducting a series of consultations with the affected IPs through community assemblies facilitated by NCIP personnel.
IP refers to indigenous people.
“This is a clear indication that the NCIP has recognized TVIRD’s good governance program for its host communities,” Subido said. “The NCIP conducted exhaustive consultation and due diligence to arrive at its certification of the will of the IPs.”
From 2007 to 2011, TVIRD had been conducting numerous consultations which eventually resulted in the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the Subanons and TVIRD. During these consultations, TVIRD presented to the IPs its Environmental Protection and Enhancement Program showing the benefits they will enjoy during the exploration phase. These consultations are part of the Free Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) process.
“We showed to the IPs that we are committed to fully support their socio-economic-cultural programs, the same way we did during the operations of our Gossan Project and now with the Sulphide phase of our operations. We assured them that TVIRD will continue to follow our 4 Quadrants of Development—Responsive Education, Health and Sanitation, Community Support and Sustainable Livelihood so Subanons can continuously enjoy the benefits of responsible mining,” Subido stressed.
To date, TVIRD has given college scholarship to 55 deserving students, 21 of whom finished their courses and with many of them absorbed by the company.
“We also constructed six school buildings in various barangays in the Municipality of Siocon, Zamboanga del Norte, including the school in Barangay Canatuan. We built farm to market roads not only for Canatuan farmers but also for other barangays of the municipality. We spend P19-million annually to maintain the roads that link Siocon to the rest of the towns and key cities of Zamboanga Peninsula. Moreover, we have already planted more than 240,000 trees as part our reforestation and revegetation programs ” Subido said.
The Subanon support for TVI is based on its record of community development at Canatuan.
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