MANILA – The government has formed an inter-agency committee that would look into illegal small-scale mining activity and gold smuggling, the Mines and Geosciences Bureau said on Tuesday.
“We are not blinking on our drive against illegal mining in the country, particularly the filing of complaints against irresponsible personalities,” Leo Jasareno, MGB director, said.
The committee is composed of the Departments of Interior and Local Government, of Environment and Natural Resources, and of Justice.
On Monday, the inter-agency committee conducted its first meeting presided by Justice Secretary Leila de Lima and Environment Secretary Ramon Paje. The group focused on the need for a judicial inquiry into the growing incidence of illegal small-scale mining operations and the sale of gold in the black market.
In the first six months of the year, the value of the country’s metallic mineral output dropped by 26 percent to P51.2 billion from P69.2 billion a year ago. The government blamed this on the 95 percent decline in the gold purchases of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.
Jasareno said the substantial drop in BSP’s gold purchases from small-scale miners and traders was a telling factor for the sluggish performance.
He said gold production nosedived to 8,382 kilograms valued at P18.18 billion, from 22,804 kilograms worth P44.52 billion in 2011.
The BSP gold purchases accounted for a measly 786 kilograms as against the 15,003-kilogram contribution a year ago.
“In effect, the BSP gold purchases shared only a dismal 9.37 percent of the entire gold production, compared to 74 percent a year ago,” Jasareno said.
The DENR traced the drop in gold purchases to the second semester of 2011 when the Bureau of Internal Revenue intensified collection of the two percent excise tax and 10 percent creditable withholding tax from the sale of gold by small-scale miners and traders.
The BSP, through its five buying stations in Baguio City, Davao City, Zamboanga City, Naga City and Quezon City, deducts the corresponding taxes from small-scale miners and traders and remits the same to the BIR. –Orti Despuez, InterAksyon.com
March –
IT’S WOMEN’S MONTH!
“Respect and support women
every day of the year/s!”
Invoke Article 33 of the ILO Constitution
against the military junta in Myanmar
to carry out the recommendations of the 2021 ILO Commission of Inquiry
against serious violations of protocols of
Forced Labour and Freedom of Association.
Accept the National Unity Government (NUG)
of Myanmar. Reject Military!
#WearMask #WashHands
#Report Corruption #SearchPosts #TakePicturesVideos
Monthly Observances:
Women’s Role in History Month
Weekly Observances:
Week 1: Environmental Week;
Women’s Week
Week 3: Philippine Industry and “
Made-in-the-Philippines Products Week
Last Week: Protection and Gender-Fair Treatment
of the Girl Child Week
Daily Observances:
March 8: Women’s Rights and
International Peace Day;
National Women’s Day
March 4: Employee Appreciation Day
March 15: World Consumer Rights Day
March 18: Global Recycling Day
March 21: International Day for the Elimination
of Racial Discrimination
March 23: International Day for the Right to the Truth
Concerning Gross Human Rights Violations
and for the Dignity of Victims
March 25: International Day of Remembrance of the
Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade
March 27: Earth Hour
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