Philippine environmental groups demand strict limits on mining
As the Philippines works to ramp up mining to meet global demand for metals during the green energy transition, environmental groups in the country are demanding strict limits to protect nature and land.
The global area covered by mines has doubled over the past three years, driven by demand for critical minerals. (Photo: Reuters)
Hanoi (VNA) – As the Philippines works to ramp up mining to meetglobal demand for metals during the green energy transition, environmentalgroups in the country are demanding strict limits to protect nature and land.
The Southeast Asian country has the world’s fourth-largest copper reserves,fifth biggest nickel deposits and is also rich in cobalt, all of which haveimportant uses in clean energy technologies, from lithium-ion batteries forelectric vehicles (EVs) to solar panels.
Mineral requirements forrenewable energy technologies must be quadrupled by 2040 to reach the goals ofthe Paris Agreement. The World Bank estimates a 500% increase in the demand fortransition minerals.
That is encouraging mineral-rich countries like the Philippines, where miningis relatively undeveloped and accounts for only 1% of gross domestic product(GDP), to boost their production of so-called critical minerals.
According to a study in 2023 by the Legal Rights and Natural Resources Centre(LRC), a local non-profit organisation that works for environmental rights, the global areacovered by mines has doubled over the past three years, driven by demand forcritical minerals.
In the Philippines, the group says, that has exacerbated mining’s negativeimpacts on people and the environment such as depleting water supplies andforcing local residents to move elsewhere.
The LRC held that the country should mine what is absolutely necessary andsource them responsibly. It is calling for a new mining law that would onlypermit the indispensable extraction of critical minerals, and seeking toprohibit destructive open-pit mining or mining in sensitive ecosystem, and hiketaxes on the companies to give great benefits to local communities.
A draft bill filed by lawmakers and supported by the LRC in 2021 is stillpending in the Philippine Congress./.
The death toll from a massive landslide that hit a gold mining village in Davao de Oro, the Philippines has climbed to 92 while rescue work is underway for tens of others, the local government reported on February 15.
The Office of the Ombudsman has ordered the preventive suspension of the National Food Authority (NFA) head and 138 other officials and employees for their alleged involvement in a sale of rice buffer stocks, Philippine Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel said on March 4.
The Philippine government on March 6 said that the El Nino dry spell and drought has cost Philippine agriculture over 1 billion PHP (nearly 19 million USD) while the climate pattern may persist till the second quarter this year.
The DES Ministry will seek cooperation from social media platforms to prevent the spread of fake news and monitor accounts related to such activities, he told reporters after chairing a meeting of the newly established Anti-Fake News Centre (AFNC).
The Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking identified the US tariff reduction as a significant driver behind the improved economic outlook for Thailand.
Financial institutions and financial technology (fintech) players are intensifying their focus on expanding across the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), adopting tailored strategies to strengthen their presence in the region’s digital financial services landscape.
Featuring a permanent exhibition area, the ASEAN Hall will function both as a cultural showcase and as a dynamic venue for ASEAN-related events and programmes. Its inauguration on ASEAN Day added symbolic weight, marking a fresh milestone in ASEAN–RoK relations.
Thailand’s Ministry of Commerce and rice exporters are devising strategic plans to boost rice exports amid global market fluctuations, focusing on key markets and adjusting output.
The focus of the upcoming ASEAN Summit in October will be on strengthening economic relations through intra-regional trade and investment, as well as regional initiatives on energy networks and connectivity.
Indonesian Ambassador Rina P. Soemarno, who currently serves as Chair of the ASEAN Committee in Prague, emphasised the spirit of regional solidarity and cooperation, and the importance of enhancing ASEAN–Czech Republic relations.
The Indonesian Government is determined to seize opportunities to enhance the competitiveness of national agricultural products, an official has said, adding that it always strives to promote exports at the highest possible level, based on a mutually beneficial foundation.
Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira has outlined a six-point strategy to promote innovation, support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and push for Thailand's removal from the US Trade Representative (USTR)’s special 301 Watch List regarding intellectual property rights protection among trading partners.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Israel Ly Duc Trung emphasised ASEAN’s central role in regional mechanisms such as the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) and the East Asia Summit (EAS), highlighting its significant contribution to promoting peace, stability, and prosperity in Southeast Asia.
The consumer index of the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC), fell to 51.7 in July from 52.7 in the previous month. The sluggish economy and the trade war, as well as high living costs, continue to undermine confidence, the university said.
Deputy Speaker of the Hungarian National Assembly Istvan Jakab expressed his hope for further deepening Hungary’s ties with ASEAN countries and called for their support for Hungary’s accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia.
The 30-storey tower crumbled seconds after a 7.7-magnitude earthquake hit neighbouring Myanmar on March 28. The partially built high-rise, meant to house the State Audit Office (SAO), was the only building in Thailand to collapse, killing 89 people on the site, mostly construction workers.
Indonesia’s waste generation is projected to exceed 50 million tonnes in 2025. Of the total, more than 20 million tonnes could potentially enter the ocean through rivers, coastal areas, small islands, ports, and marine activities, and thereby, pose a risk to coastal ecosystems and marine biota.
Indonesia is accelerating plans to increase lithium imports, particularly from Australia, in a bid to fill gaps in the electric vehicle (EV) battery supply chain and realise its ambition of becoming a global EV manufacturing hub.
Malaysia’s gross expenditure on R&D (GERD) reached 1.01% of gross domestic product in 2022, a notable increase, with more than 51% contributed by the industry sector. The country is targeting GERD to reach 2.5% by 2030, in line with the national goal of transforming into a high-technology nation.
The facility was established in response to a growing shift in the Filipino labour force from the Middle East to Japan, where workers are seeking safer working environments.
In the latest Indonesia-US trade agreement in July, the US administration agreed to reduce the reciprocal tariff, which was initially set at 32% by US President Donald Trump last April, to 19%.
Real estate agency ERA Singapore estimated that there are 2,703 condo developments in Singapore today, of which 836 or 31% are at least 30 years old. In 10 years, this number is expected to climb to 1,160, assuming none is sold en bloc.
The global area covered by mines has doubled over the past three years, driven by demand for critical minerals. (Photo: Reuters) 
