Mining firms join hands to build first Surigao del Norte training center

By PNA and U.S. News Agency / Asian

Philex Mining Corp., through its president and chief executive officer Manny V. Pangilinan, already chipped in P 6 million for the construction of the P 13-million Surigao del Norte Provincial Community Training and Livelihood Center at the heart of mining communities in Barangay Bad-as, this town.

Surigao del Norte Rep. Francisco Matugas (1st. district) said during the center?€™s ground breaking rites late Thursday afternoon that the funds were already made available by Pangilinan.

?€œMr. Pangilinan is even willing to contribute P13 million as his counterpart for the unified construction efforts to establish a training center that will cater the training needs for skilled workers to support mining companies now operating in the province but unfortunately one of the officials of the provincial capitol told Mr. Pangilinan?€™s secretary that the P 13-M is the total construction cost, He then assured he will give P 6-M as counterpart of his mining firm,?€ Matugas said.

The construction cost of the Provincial Livelihood and Training Center is a joint effort of the congressional offices of the two congressmen of Surigao del Norte, mining companies like Philex Mining, Sumitomo-TH Pal Mining, Taganito Mining, PGMC Mining Corp. through the Chamber of Mining Industry of Surigao del Norte and the local government unit of Placer.

Philex Mining?€™s subsidiary Silangan Mindanao Mining Corp. is now on its final exploratory stage of the company?€™s 3,456 hectares mining site in the towns of Tubod, Placer and Sison.

Philex Mining plans to build a US$ 1-M Mineral Processing Plant here in Surigao del Norte.

Bureau of Mines and Geo-Sciences regional director Alilio Ensomo said PGMC Mining Company has already downloaded P1-M contribution as part of the pledge in joint effort for the construction of the training center of mining companies operating in Surigao del Norte.

?€œThis is a welcome development of the mining companies?€™ fulfillment in their corporate social responsibilities to communities as provided by the Mining Act, I am happy that they come together as one for the realization of this noble project of the Surigao del Norte provincial government?€, Ensomo said.

Ensomo, Surigao del Norte Chamber of Mining Industry and mining officials were present at the ground breaking ceremonies.

Mining officials from Philex, Sumitomo-TH Pal, Taganito, PGMC vowed to continuously support the construction and eventual operations of the training center.

The Center will be built at the more than 1,000 square meters land property of the Municipality of Placer under leadership of Mayor Napuli and the Municipal Council.

The center will offer skills training for mining and other alternative livelihood skills training for communities in Placer and outside Placer.

If completed, the training and livelihood center will be the first private-led initiated community-based training center to served training needs not only for Surigao del Norte constituents but in the entire Caraga region.

Authors: mining - Yahoo! News Search Results