OceanaGold recently received the prestigious Philippines 2015 Presidential Mining Industry Environmental Award (PMIEA) for the Surface Mining Operation Category.
The award was presented during the 62nd Annual National Mine Safety Conference held recently in Baguio City.
OceanaGold’s Didipio project in northern Luzon has been a consistent PMIEA winner – awarded in 2014 with the PMIEA Platinum Award; Overall Safest Mining Operation and the Best Mining Forest Program in 2011 and 2009. This year, OceanaGold was named Overall Safest Mining Operations winner under the metallic category and the Safest Mines Award winner under Surface Operation Category.
Didipio Mine’s general manager David Way said the awards bestowed to OceanaGold institutionalize the company’s zeal to go further towards making OceanaGold’s presence mean more.
The PMIEA is the most sought-after award for mining companies in the Philippines. Administered by a presidential task force, a rigorous selection process set by industry standards is undertaken by mining companies.
Each is screened by examining their social development management programs, education, health and safety followed by an audit and validation visits conducted by experts in health, social impact assessment, environment and safety.
OceanaGold’s senior vice president for communications and external affairs Chito Gozar said, “The award drives mining companies to excel and ensure responsible minerals development practices in the Philippines, making mining companies and other industry partners more than committed to environmental protection and sustainable development.”
The PMIEA awards are meant to be a fitting recognition of the private minerals sectors’ initiatives and exemplary achievements in environmental protection, management towards sustainable development.
“May these therefore inspire us and remind us of all efforts we have so conscientiously put into OceanaGold – that we are not just a mining company able to comply with what the industry requires of us but to pave the way towards excellence,” David Way said.