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Environmental and Social Report
Silangan Project (formerly Boyongan Project) Philex, through Silangan Mindanao Mining Company, Inc. (SMMCI), adheres to the 2008 Community-Based Development & Environmental Management Program which is anchored on Partnership Building. It is being implemented earnestly and collectively along with the Company’s local community partners. The Educational Scholarship is a continuing program of SMMCI since its inception in 2001. For school year 2008- 2009, the program benefited 71 elementary and high school scholars, which includes 31 students from the Indigenous People (IP) community. SMMCI provided for the students’ uniforms, bags, shoes, school supplies and other school’s voluntary contributions throughout the school year. The IP scholars also received additional materials for their basic personal hygiene.
SMMCI also provided assistance to other educational programs such as Annual Science Fair events, Computer Literacy training, and Volunteer Teacher Sponsorship for the schools in the community. In 2008, SMMCI supported various infrastructure projects through counter-parting scheme wherein the Company and the community experience shared responsibility and ownership of the projects. Some of these projects are the following: · Water system improvement in Sitio Mahucdam; · School fencing and street lighting in Brgy. San Isidro; · Irrigation dam repair in Brgy. Motorpool; · Renovation of health center in Brgy. Capayahan; · Improvements of the Roman Catholic and Iglesia Filipina Independiente chapels in Brgy. Capayahan and Brgy. San Isidro, respectively. SMMCI has implemented a number of capability building and leadership training seminars to various People’s Organizations (POs), Farmer Groups, the San Isidro Capayahan Timamana Livelihood Association (SICATILA) rice retailing group and the Mamanwa Tribal Council, as part of the strategy in strengthening the organizational management of local partner groups. The trainings were geared towards the concept of partnership building. The Vocational Course Scholarship Program is the latest addition to the SMMCI’s community development initiative. The Company sponsored 22 scholars in auto servicing and welding at the TESDA accredited school. With established agreement among the parties involved, all the scholars have completed and acquired the NC II requirement from TESDA, which is equivalent to a professional course. Thus, the scholars became legitimate professionals qualified to apply for jobs locally and overseas. SMMCI also actively supported various component projects under the Health, Sanitation & Environmental Management Program. It has financially provided for the renewal of health insurance of 700 indigent families in the Municipality of Tubod and the renewal of the accident insurance for the 210 Barangay Volunteer Workers. Other health community programs supported by SMMCI were the Joint Nutrition Program Contest in Brgy del Rosario, Supplementary Feeding spearheaded by Timamana Elementary School, Renal Disease Control Program led by the Department of Health, and a Seminar on Schistosomiasis, Water Borne Disease and Food Borne diseases attended by the Rural Sanitary Inspector of Tubod in Baguio City.
As part of the Environmental Management Program, two nurseries from the Timamana Barangay LGU and the Timamana National High School were rehabilitated by the Company and propagated about 2,000 seedlings of hardwood and fruit trees such as falcata, mangium, narra, mahogany and mango. These seedlings were planted along the river banks of Timamana during the Araw ng Tubod Celebration in October 2008. In addition, technical assistance was also extended to the Nursery Management Group of Brgys. Marga, Capayahan and San Isidro in partnership with Alterdev, an NGO who has a reforestation project in the areas. SMMCI actively provided financial and material assistance for sports competitions during Municipal & Barangay fiestas. Other regular community affairs like foundation day, Christmas party, and Youth Summer Camp were also financially supported by SMMCI. Communication and information drive is a continuing activity of SMMCI. These included activities such as community immersion, support to Community Technical Working Group (CTWG), publication of Bidlisiw comics, production of Company calendar, and regular water sampling. SMMCI maintains a Community Research and Information Center where the locals are allowed and encouraged to visit to do research works via printed materials and/or use of computers. The Center also serves as a venue for reporting and resolving community issues and concerns related to the Company’s programs. The Community Development Program for the Indigenous People (Mamanwa Tribe) was launched in 2008. In line with this program, SMMCI has sponsored the IP Volunteer Teacher-Organizer whose primary task is to educate, organize, motivate and capacitate the Tribal Council. The Teacher-Organizer regularly immerses and integrates with the Indigenous People (IP) Community in Barangay Motorpool. Other assistance extended to the tribe are: educational scholarship program, purchase of one-hectare resettlement site in Barangay Timamana, provision of vegetable seeds for backyard gardening, Leadership Skills and Capability Building Training to tribal council members and family heads, and provision of sports facilities for the community. <<Previous Next>> Lascogon Project Bulawan Project Sibutad Project |
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©2007 Philex Gold Inc.
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