Government officials on Thursday reassured the mining sector of proposed policy changes aimed at attracting investors while addressing environmental concerns.
At the Mining Philippines Policy Forum, Ernesto Perez, director general of the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA), announced the drafting of a model ordinance for local government units to harmonize the investment processes.
Perez said that 112 local government units have adopted electronic one-stop shops to streamline the permitting process. The model ordinance is expected to be released within the year.
Carlos Primo David, undersecretary at the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), revealed that a digital application process is being rolled out in three regions to reduce mining permit processing times from seven years to two. The DENR is also initiating the parallel processing of permits to expedite approvals.
Michael Toledo, chairman of the Chamber of Mines, underscored the need to simplify exploration permit approvals to enhance investment flow.
