THE Department of Natural Resources (DENR)-Davao noted an increase in the population in Mt. Diwalwal due to the decrease of mining production in small-scale mining areas.
DENR-Davao coordinator for Program Monitoring Coordinating Center (PMCC) lawyer Felix Alicer, in an interview during the Kapehan sa Dabaw at The Annex of SM City Davao, July 10, said the area only has 11,000 residents compared to 100,000 residents recorded last 2012.
The hike in population, Alicer said, was due to the decrease of mining production inside the 729 hectares of the total 8,100 hectares declared as the mining reservation area during President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's term in 2002.
Alicer said the decline of production is a normal scenario in a mining business as the excavation gets deeper after years of operations.
In the 8,100 total hectare mining area in Mt. Diwalwal, only 729 hectares is operational exclusively for small-scale miners.
Alicer, however, said the Joint Operating Agreement (JOA) between Natural Resources Development Corporation (NRDC) and few small-scale mining companies inside the 729 hectares have expired, suspending all mining operations within the area which also contributed to the decreasing production.
The remaining hectares outside 729 hectares, Alicer said, already have eight service contractors but still non-operational while waiting for the approval of its Mineral Processing Permit and signing of JOA.
"Philippine Mining Development Corporation (PMDC) Chairman Alberto Sipaco Jr. is pushing NRDC to operate the mining operation outside the 729 hectares to generate income and recover the losses," he said.
Since Mt. Diwalwal was declared as a mining reservation area, Alicer said DENR will ensure and regulate mining activities in the area once mining companies will start their operations.
He added that PMCC already sent an inquiry to NRDC regarding the renewal of the JOA inside the 729 hectares mining area.
"Once the JOA is renewed, we can already look on the possibility of using latest mining technology to increase again the production rate inside the 729 hectares," Alicer said.