Secretary Atienza repels AO on mining permits

Governors get back power to issue mining permit

Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Lito Atienza has given back to governors the authority to issue Mineral Ore Export Permit (MOEP) following a protest against a DENR administrative order primarily initiated by Compostela Valley Governor Arturo “Chiongkee” Uy.

Sec. Atienza has declared as repelled DAO No. 2008-20 issued in September 2008 that took away power of the governors to issue the MOEP and permits to small scale mining. Governor Uy had led a protest by Davao region governors against the DAO which curtailed governor’s campaign against illegal mining.

The protest took centerstage during the Regional Development Council meeting in Nabunturan in December and was also backed by the League of Municipalities of the Philippines Compostela Valley chapter.

Governor Uy said DAO shortchanged small scale miners and favored big capitalists, adding it stole away powers of the governors to run after speculators who win concessions to be sold to big mining interest groups. The protest against the DAO had also sparked calls by governors for Secretary Atienza to resign.

But Governor Uy said Secretary Atienza declared DAO 2008-20 repelled on January 15, 2009 before governors throughout the country during a meeting at the Shangrila Hotel in Manila, where the issue about the DAO and the governors’ protest was discussed.