BUTUAN CITY- There were a total of 25 mining companies operating in the entire CARAGA region as of December 2015. This is according to National Economic Development Authority CARAGA region. Six (6) of these are located in Surigao del Norte, four (4) in Surigao del Sur, two (2) in Agusan del Norte, two (2) in Agusan del Sur and eleven (11) in the Province of Dinagat Islands.
An estimated value of mineral export of PhP27 Billion was recorded in 2015. This is 66.13% lower compared to the total value of PhP79 Billion in 2014. The decrease is due to low metal price in the world market all throughout the 2nd to 4th quarters of 2015 that led the mining companies to minimize output in order to reduce losses.
In a press conference last February 2, Environment Secretary Gina Lopez said the DENR will be closing 14 mining companies in the Caraga Region, seven of them from the Island province of Dinagat, four from Surigao del Norte, and three from Surigao del Sur. Department of Labor and Employment said, about 20,589 workers, including contractuals, will be displaced by mine closures in Caraga.
This will have a significant effect on the economy of the region. Mining companies pay about P3 billion on Royal Tax and P2 billion on excise tax. NEDA cited that mining is important in Caraga’s economy, although growth trends were uneven since the mining industryfaces erratic changes in the prices of minerals in the global market.
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DENR’s aerial survey of Claver, Surigao del Norte. Photo taken from scoopnest.com. |
On the closure of several mining operations, Department of Environment and Natural Resources secretary Gina Lopez cited, "77 years, 100 years of mining. Surigao is still poor. Dinagat is poor. 26 of the mining operations are in Caraga. Eh bakit mahirap Caraga? If it's so good dapat mayaman na sila lahat."
CARAGA Region's poverty incidence estimate in 2015 is 35.3% according to Philippine Statistics Authority.