The Provincial Environment Management Office (PEMO) together with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources – Mines and Geo-Sciences Bureau (DENR-MGB) 12 have decided to streamline the requirements for renewal of Small-Scale Mining (SSM) Contracts and Quarry Permits during the recent Provincial Mining and Regulatory Board (PMRB) meeting.
DENR-MGB 12 Regional Director Constancio Paye Jr., PMRB Chairperson, pointed out during the meeting that their office will now enforce the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act 7076 or otherwise known as People’s Small-Scale Mining Act of 1991 effective next year.
Paye was particularly referring to the application fees for SSM of P10,000.00 for non-metallic minerals and P20,000.00 for gold, silver and/or chromite, which is now payable to the Regional Office concerned.
Both offices agreed that the said application fees which are good for a 2-year period will be paid by accredited SSM associations to the Regional Office while fees charged by PEMO will be paid by individual SSM operators.
DENR-MGB 12 listed 13 mandatory requirements for compliance of SSM operators while PEMO has 8, including the verified letter request for renewal of SSM or Processing Permit addressed to PMRB through its Secretariat.
Meanwhile, for Mineral Processing License (MPL), an accredited SSM processor/association will pay a filing fee of P50,000.00 which is good for a 4-year period with submission of four mandatory requirements to DENR-MB 12.
Likewise for PEMO, the individual SSM processor will pay the required fees to the office aside from compliance on the submission of 3 mandatory requirements.
Sand and Gravel tax or commonly called as quarry tax, falls under the jurisdiction of LGUs and the mandatory requirements should be submitted and required fees should be paid to their respective collection office.
