“It is not enough to have a good mind; the main thing is to use it well.”
— René Descartes
The mining industry is widely recognized as capital-intensive. While it aims to boost the economy, it is also highly political.
In the island province of Palawan, the high price of nickel ore on the international market has attracted investors and aggressive miners to exploit the abundant deposits of high-grade nickel in the mountains of southern Palawan, covering thousands of hectares.
In the town of Narra, Palawan, Redmont Consolidated Mines Corporation, based at 8 Gasan St., Masambong, San Francisco del Monte, Quezon City, has persistently pursued mining exploration to commence full operations in due time.
Records indicate that the mining moratorium approved by the Palawan Provincial Board on March 5, 2025, and signed by Governor Dennis Socrates, may be defective or in conflict with existing national law.
The provincial government’s moratorium ordinance could face legal challenges, as a mining company like Redmont is unlikely to stand idly by.
Narra Mayor Gerandy Danao surprised the Capitol by endorsing Redmont’s application for an exploration permit to the Provincial Board, which sought clearance from the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development (PCSD), chaired by Governor Amy Alvarez.
On August 12, 2025, during the Palawan Provincial Board’s regular session, Danao presented Municipal Sangguniang Bayan Resolution No. 5867, endorsing Redmont’s application for an ECAN zoning certification and Strategic Environmental Plan (SEP) clearance for its proposed mining exploration in Barangay Calategas, Narra, Palawan.
The three-page Narra resolution, dated July 28, 2025, cited Section 2 of Republic Act 7942, also known as the Philippine Mining Act of 1995, which governs the exploration, development, utilization, and conservation of natural resources in the Philippines.
The resolution included the following key points:
– The PCSD requires endorsement from the local government unit for the issuance of an ECAN Zoning Certificate and SEP clearance.
– The Sangguniang Bayan, in collaboration with Redmont, conducted public hearings for this purpose.
– The Barangay Government of Calategas adopted Resolution No. 66, Series of 2024, approving Redmont’s request for endorsement and expressing no objection to its mining exploration project.
– The Sangguniang Bayan’s endorsement does not authorize immediate mining exploration; Redmont must still secure all required permits and clearances from various government agencies.
– During its regular session on July 21, 2025, the 17th Sangguniang Bayan noted that Redmont’s exploration permit application predates the effectivity of Provincial Ordinance No. 3646, Series of 2025.
All members of the Sangguniang Bayan, including Vice Mayor Edmond “Jojo” Gastanes, unanimously signed the municipal resolution.
Gastanes noted that the Capitol has sufficient legal expertise to review the endorsed resolution, as Narra lacks a legal officer or the resources to hire one.
“I know there are lawyers at the Capitol. It is the Provincial Board’s duty to review resolutions and ordinances from local government units. If there are legal concerns, they can address them in the appropriate forum or court of law. We have simply fulfilled our duties as public servants,” Gastanes said.
On May 15, 2023, I reported in Palawan News that Mayor Danao was suspended for six months by the Office of the Ombudsman for violating the Anti-Red Tape Act (ARTA) following a complaint filed by Citinickel Mines and Development Corporation (CMDC) on April 22, 2022. The case arose from Danao’s refusal to grant CMDC a mayor’s permit to operate.
“We’ve learned our lesson. We don’t want to repeat past mistakes, like Mayor Danao facing another suspension from the Ombudsman,” Gastanes said.
Ernesto Ferrer, chairman of the committee on environment, stated that after thorough deliberation, the resolution endorsing Redmont’s exploration project was passed.
On August 15, 2025, Redmont’s corporate counsel, Atty. Michael Umali, provided Vice Mayor Gastanes with legal documents to support their mining claims, including an application for an exploration permit (EPA-IVB-112) filed with the Mines and Geosciences Bureau in Diliman, Quezon City, on November 8, 2006.
Among the documents was a three-page legal opinion dated March 27, 2025, from Undersecretary for External, Legal, and Legislative Affairs Romeo P. Benitez of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG). The opinion was addressed to Board Member Ryan D. Maminta, chairman of the committee on environmental protection and natural resources.
Benitez suggested that if the moratorium’s author intended it to apply broadly, they should lobby Congress for national legislation.
The Provincial Ordinance No. 3646, which imposed a mining ban across Palawan, was approved on March 5, 2025, during the midterm election campaign period. Initially proposed as a 25-year moratorium on new mining projects for all minerals, it was revised to a 50-year ban after intense pressure on the Provincial Board.
Umali also urged Gastanes to review two landmark Supreme Court decisions: Province of Occidental Mindoro v. Agusan Petroleum and Mineral Corporation (G.R. No. 248932, January 14, 2025) and Manila Electric Company v. City of Muntinlupa and Nelia A. Barlis (G.R. No. 198529, February 9, 2021).
On August 6, 2025, Umali submitted updated 2025 documents for Redmont’s exploration application, including the Barangay Endorsement of Calategas, a Zoning Certificate from the Municipal Planning and Development Office, and a Secretary’s Certificate.
Even during the term of former Vice Mayor Celso Calso, Umali persistently sought support. On June 10, 2025, shortly after the elections, he formally requested the Narra Sangguniang Bayan’s endorsement for Redmont’s exploration project in Barangay Calategas. Umali included supporting documents in his requests.
On June 11, 2025, Umali informed Calso that Redmont had submitted a Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office (MENRO) certification, noting it was the only remaining requirement for municipal endorsement.
On June 4, 2025, Umali requested Calso to accept Redmont’s application for endorsement pending the completion of mandatory requirements.
As early as June 5, 2007, Redmont’s President, David S. Turmines, wrote to then-Municipal Mayor Clarito Demaala Jr., stating:
“Our application is currently under process by the MGB Regional Office. Upon approval, we shall conduct a two-year exploration in the applied area. Prior to actual mining or quarrying operations, Redmont will present a comprehensive project overview to ensure your constituents understand its benefits and the environmental mitigating measures we will undertake.”
Redmont’s mining claim spans 377.0489 hectares in Narra, Palawan.
These events suggest that Provincial Ordinance No. 3646, which enforces the mining moratorium, may face legal challenges if brought before the Supreme Court. Redmont’s pursuit of exploration, despite the moratorium, indicates a likely appeal to the courts in Manila.
Like other mining companies, Redmont appears determined to assert its legal rights under the Philippine Mining Act.
I suspect the mining ban was exploited as campaign propaganda during the recent elections by some politicians to advance their agendas.
As an administrative body, the Provincial Board’s authority is limited by law. It requires the support of the Governor’s office and its legal team to resolve this looming legal conflict effectively.
I recall meeting a distinguished lawyer from Barangay Sta. Monica, Puerto Princesa City, at the Asturias Hotel during a campaign event for Atty. Benhur Abalos, who had arrived from Manila to meet Palawan’s barangay officials.
A stout man smiled at me, mistaking me for an aide of Abalos. I approached him and greeted, “Good morning, sir.”
“Are you with Senator Benhur?” he asked softly.
“No, sir,” I replied politely, explaining that a law school classmate had asked me to accompany Abalos, as he couldn’t travel to Palawan at the time.
When Abalos saw him, they greeted each other warmly, surprised to reunite after decades. Both were members of the Utopia fraternity at Ateneo.
“Wow, it’s been so long,” Abalos said.
While waiting as Abalos entered the function hall, the man shared that Abalos was a year ahead of him at Ateneo University’s College of Law.
When I asked his name, I was humbled—he was a bar topnotcher. Soft-spoken, simple, and humble, his presence was inspiring.
We briefly discussed the mining moratorium. He said nothing but shook his head.
