MANILA, Philippines — The Chamber of Mines of the Philippines called a meeting with President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday a “wake-up call” for an industry the chief executive had singled out for a scolding in his second state of the nation address last week.
In his SONA, Duterte said miners “have gained much” but “considerably neglected their responsibility to protect and preserve” the environment and vowed to hold them “responsible for the full cleanup, restoration, rehabilitation of all areas damaged by mining activities and the extension of all necessary support to all communities that have suffered.”
He did not take back these words at the meeting even as he acknowledged laws supportive of the industry and called on miners to protect the environment and support the communities near their operations. He also ordered the creation of a policy consultative group.
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