Philex allots P110M for 2017 CSR projects

February 25, 2017 Provincial

TUBA, BENGUET – Philex Mining Corp. has reaffirmed its commitment to corporate social responsibility, setting aside for this year a total of P110.55 million for the various projects on social development, information dissemination, and research for the further improvement of the industry.
This brings to P730.55 million the total budget that had been allocated for the said projects in the 15 years to date, according to Aurora Dolipas, the newly installed Community Relations (ComRel) manager at the company’s Padcal operations, in this province.
Dolipas said that P82.9 million of the 2017 budget goes to Social Development and Management Program (SDMP), P16.6 million for Information, Education, and Communications (IEC) campaign, and P11.05 million for Development of Mining Technology and Geosciences (DMTG).
“We encourage an active and meaningful community participation through partnership and capacity building in implementing projects on health, education, livelihood and enterprise, and public infrastructure,” she added in a presentation before the recent technical audit done by a European firm on Philex Mining’s safety and management systems.
TÜV Rheinland, a German technical services provider, conducted early this month an audit to review the Integrated Management System or IMS certification it granted to Philex Mining in April 2015 for its successful programs on environmental management system and safety management, with the latter including operations in mining, milling, and tailings storage facilities.
Dolipas said this year’s budget allocations for community development and other projects are equivalent to 1.5 percent of the company’s total operating expenses in 2016, with SDMP getting 75 percent while 15 percent goes to IEC, and 10 percent for DMTG.
Philex Mining’s host communities for its gold-and-copper operations in Padcal include Brgy. Camp 3, in Tuba, and Brgy. Ampucao, in Itogon. It neighboring communities, on the other hand, include Brgys. Camp 1 and Ansagan (Tuba) and Dalupirip (Itogon). With a total population of more than 27,000 in 7,896 households, these barangays are collectively called outlying communities.
In an earlier statement, Philex Mining SVP and Padcal Resident Manager Manuel Agcaoili said the company would start realigning funds for community development to include villages other than the outlying communities but within the host towns of Tuba and Itogon. This move got the support of the two municipalities in behalf of the other depressed barangays in need of development. PR / ABN