Makati: Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Raphael Lotilla underscored the importance of responsible mining in driving sustainable economic growth and community development. During the Pilipinas Conference organized by StratBase ADR Institute in Makati on Friday, Lotilla said the DENR, through the Mines and Geosciences Bureau, is implementing reforms to a more integrated, future-focused governance approach in the mining industry.
According to Philippines News Agency, Lotilla emphasized a policy shift aimed at elevating the mining sector's contribution to national development. Currently, mining contributes approximately 1 percent to the national gross domestic product, and the goal is to double this to 2 percent by 2028. This increase is intended to be achieved not solely through extraction but by adding value, enhancing downstream processing, and better integrating with clean energy and manufacturing supply chains.
Lotilla noted that reforms extend beyond regulations, highlighting that the potential wealth beneath the ground must translate to sustainable and equitable value above ground. The DENR is in the process of finalizing an executive order to establish a national policy framework aimed at developing a critical minerals industry. This framework will promote responsible exploration and extraction, as well as investment in processing, circular value chains, and domestic manufacturing linkages, moving beyond the export of raw ore.
The framework is designed to modernize environmental rules to align with innovation, climate realities, and market demands. Lotilla stated that the DENR aims to position the country as a reliable and responsible contributor to the global energy transition by leveraging mineral resources to integrate into clean technology value chains.
Among the policies introduced by the department to strengthen mining are aligning social development programs with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals to ensure measurable benefits for host communities. Efforts also include streamlining permitting processes under the Philippine Mining Act to improve transparency and predictability without compromising environmental safeguards, alongside integrating mining with national economic and clean energy strategies to maximize long-term value.
Lotilla highlighted the importance of transitioning to a circular economy for the country's long-term resilience, which requires moving beyond traditional models of consumption and disposal. This involves designing systems where materials are reused, repurposed, or reintegrated into the value chain. The overarching goal, as stated by Lotilla, is to mine better, process smarter, and govern with integrity, ensuring that the Philippines becomes a reliable and responsible contributor to the global clean energy transition, while assuring fair development benefits for people and host communities and protecting the environment.
