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| Photo Credit: Chamber of Mines |
By Alvin T. Guanzon
BUTUAN CITY — Mining firm Platinum Group Metals Corporation paid a total of P16 million royalty share to the indigenous people in Surigao del Norte and Surigao del Sur.
The royalty fees represent partial payment of PGMC to indigenous people communities where it is operating representing not less than one percent of its gross output.
The fees were given in compliance with Republic Act No. 7942 otherwise known as the “Philippine Mining Act of 1995” requiring mining firms to pay royalty fees to indigenous people affected by the mining activities.
Last July, PGMC executive vice president lawyer Dante Bravo, executive vice president and retired Deputy Police director general Geary Barias now vice president for security and corporate social responsibility presented the check amounting to P2 million to Datu Anilao Dawog, Manobo Tribal Chieftain of Surigao del Sur.
In an interview, Datu Dawog thanked PGMC, saying the amount although partial will help greatly his Manobo tribal community in Lanuza, Surigao del Sur.
“Initially from the P2-M royalty fees, we initiated various educational projects for the Manobo children under my care, we help provide livelihood for their parents and distributed equal amounts of cash benefits in our Manobo communities whose part of ancestral domain were mined for nickel by PGMC” Datu Dawog said.
Another P2-million check representing royalty fees for the Mamanwa tribes in Claver, Surigao del Norte was received by Mamanwa Tribal Chieftains Datu Reynante Buklas and Datu Alicio Patac last July 16, 2013.
On September 19, 2013, no less than PGMC president and chief executive Joseph Sy and lawyer Dante Bravo, PGMC executive vice president, turned over a check amounting to P6,000,000 to Surigao del Sur Manobo tribal chieftain Anilao Dawog.
Another P6-million check representing royalty fees to the Mamanwa Tribal Communities of Surigao del Norte represented by Datu Reynante Buklas was also handed by Sy.
The checks were turned over in ceremonies held at the PGMC main office in Makati City. (ManilaStandardToday)
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