Group lauds MGB’s aid to small-scale miners during Covid-19

Photo courtesy of Mindanao Examiner

THE environmental justice organization, BAN Toxics, commended the Mines and Geosciences Bureau’s (MGB) initiative to aid small-scale miners to address the fallout from the COVID-19 enhanced community quarantine measures.

There are approximately 29 declared Minahang Bayan in the country and around 300,000 to 500,000 small-scale miners in the Philippines, which supports as much as 2.3 million Filipinos. Artisanal and small-scale mining occurs in almost all regions in the country and are predominantly found in rural and hard to reach areas.

“Artisanal and small-scale mine workers are more vulnerable to the COVID-19 crisis as they are daily wage earners. Their daily income depends on their share from the collected ores or materials. These people are at much greater risk if they aren’t given the support they need,” said Reynaldo San Juan, Jr.,  Executive Director of BAN Toxics. “They will face wide-spread hunger in addition to the lack of health services in their area, not to mention the threat of the virus itself. It is a triple blow to the communities.”

MGB Director Atty. Wilfredo Moncano authorized the regional offices last March 27, 2020 to allow the realignment of the Social Development and Management Program (SDMP) funds to be re-directed to programs necessary to address COVID-19 related issues impacting small-scale mining communities all over the country. The order also called for the remaining funds from 2019 that were carried over to the SDMP budget for 2020, to be used to finance COVID-19 related activities.

The aid extended by MGB, however, recognizes only formalized mining bodies. The directive bypasses artisanal and small-scale miners and communities who have yet to finalize the formalization of their mining contract. It also bypasses  itinerant mine workers who are not counted as local residents in their respective work areas.

“Miners are miners. COVID-19 does not distinguish between formal and informal miners. Loss of income during the enhanced community quarantine period will leave these workers at the mercy of the crisis and unscrupulous gold traders,” said San Juan.

“Sana po idirekta ng MGB ang tulong sa lahat ng minero, pormal o impormal man,” was the plea from Gil Indino, President of the Philippine National Coalition for Small Scale Miners, Inc.


“We are worried of dying from hunger more than from the corona virus,” stated Indino. “We are happy the government is thinking of us, but we ask the support to extend to all miners regardless of status. We are all still people trying to make a decent living in spite of the virus.”

BAN Toxics also raised concerns over impacts on women, particularly domestic abuse cases, and the number of child laborers that could spike up due to the COVID-19 situation.