MacroAsia Corp. said its mining subsidiary secured certification for complying with the process required by indigenous communities for a mining project in Palawan province.
In a stock exchange disclosure on Wednesday, MacroAsia said its unit MacroAsia Mining Corp. received a copy of the “Certification Precondition” from the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP).
It said the mining area covers 1,113.98 hectares within the ancestral domain of the Palawan indigenous cultural communities or indigenous peoples.
Based on the attached copy of the document, MacroAsia Mining “has complied with the procedural and documentary requirements.” The certificate signifies its compliance with the free, prior and informed consent or FPIC process and that the community had given its consent.
In January, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources office in the Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan) region issued two mineral production sharing agreements (MPSAs) to the mining firm.
MPSA No. 220-2005-IVB and MPSA No. 221-2005-IVB are located in barangays Ipilian, Mambalot, and Maasin in the municipality of Brooke’s Point in Palawan.
Issued by the NCIP, the certificate is a prerequisite under the revised guidelines on free and prior informed consent. The process was discussed among the applicant, concerned communities, and the NCIP certifying that the mining area does not overlap the ancestral domain. — Sheldeen Joy Talavera