Rio Tuba Nickel Mining hailed as 'environment champion'

• Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/998246
• Saturday, July 1, 2017

(LGI/PNA)

MANILA -- Rio Tuba Nickel Mining Corp. (RTNMC) was honored as an “environment champion” by the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development (PCSD) during the 25th year anniversary of the Strategic Environmental Plan (SEP) Act.

In accepting the recognition, Nickel Asia Corp. (NAC) President and CEO Gerard H. Brimo said the SEP has helped make the initiatives of RTNMC for environment sustainability become among the best practices in the industry.

"For a mining company to be honored as an ‘environment champion’, is such a great achievement," he said.

According to PCSD Executive Director Nelson Devanadera, the SEP champion awards are given to local government units and organizations embodying the SEP principles in their programs and projects.

RTNMC and Coral Bay Nickel Corp. (CBNC) were awarded for remarkable and positive development through partnership in the municipality of Bataraza.

In his message, delivered by Undersecretary Marlo Mendoza during the awarding ceremony last June 19, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Roy Cimatu said the best indicator of local sustainable development is eradication of poverty.

"The best strategy that we can adopt is the eradication of poverty, the provision of livelihood, employment opportunities for the people and ensuring tha availability of basic services," he noted.

PCSD is a multi-sectoral and intergovernmental body mandated to enforce the Strategic Environmental Plan Law for Palawan that was signed by former President Corazon C. Aquino on June 19, 1992.