The Chamber of Mines of the Philippines (COMP) has expressed strong support for the appointment of Mr. Raphael Lotilla as the new Secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
“We are confident that his extensive experience as a professor, lawyer, chief executive officer, legislative liaison, and Energy secretary will be invaluable in this new role,” the group said in a letter of support to Lotilla.
The organization said his broad expertise will be crucial in advancing the country’s minerals development sector.
“We are particularly excited to see under Sec. Lotilla’s leadership is the fruition of President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.’s vision for maximizing the full potential of the Philippine minerals development industry in improving the lives of present and future generations of Filipinos without compromising the integrity of the environment,” COMP said.
The group also urged the new DENR chief to continue the initiatives of his predecessor, secretary Ma. Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga, particularly efforts on creating an enabling environment for mining, streamlining permitting processes, and promoting investment-friendly policies.
COMP pledged full support and cooperation, looking forward to working together on programs that boost the environmental, social, and governance performance of mining contractors through its Towards Sustainable Mining (TSM) program.
The mining group extended its gratitude to secretary Yulo-Loyzaga for her service and wished her success in her future endeavors.
