The Offshore Mining Chamber of the Philippines expressed support to the proposed ban on sand mining in some coastal towns in the Ilocos region to prevent shoreline erosion.
The OMCP expressed its support for the ban following the position expressed by Probinsyano Ako party list Rep. Jose “Bonito” Singson Jr. during a congressional hearing against the practice of some mining firms, especially those owned by the Chinese, to extract sand from shorelines in Ilocos region in search of magnetite iron.
It said only those with the expertise and proper technology should be allowed to undertake mining operations in offshore areas, not in shorelines, to prevent further shoreline erosions.
The OMCP endorsed the guidelines issued by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources on May 16, 2016, which provided that “no mining within the 500 meters from the shorelines to offshore to prevent possible coastal erosion, and no mining 200 meters from on shoreline to inland areas of any coastal town.”
