Three members of the Chamber of Mines of the Philippines (COMP) achieved global best practice ratings under the Towards Sustainable Mining (TSM) standard, the organization announced at the 2025 Mining Philippines Conference at the Grand Hyatt Manila.
Rio Tuba Nickel Mining Corp. (RTNMC) and OceanaGold (Philippines) Inc. (OGPI) each earned the highest AAA ratings in water stewardship, covering all four indicators under the protocol. OGPI’s Didipio Project also achieved AAA in all six indicators under tailings management.
Following independent external verification of their compliance with key sustainability protocols, CTP Mining and Construction Corp. (CTPCMC) and RTNMC also received top marks in Safety and Health, Indigenous Peoples and Community Outreach, and Social Development Management.
COMP chairman Michael Toledo said the continued strong participation of members in the second year of TSM’s implementation was “greatly encouraging.”
Nine out of ten member mines completed self-assessments and external verification this year, which Toledo cited as “clear proof of our industry’s commitment to transparency and accountability.”
RTNMC, CTPCMC and OGPI were among nine COMP operating members that underwent external verification of their 2024 TSM self-assessments.
Other verified firms included Hinatuan Mining Corp., Dinapigue Mining Corp., Carrascal Nickel Corp., Eramen Minerals Inc., LNL Archipelago Minerals Inc. and Benguet Corp.–Baguio Gold Operations.
Seventeen of COMP’s 18 members with active mine sites submitted TSM self-assessments this year, with eight others verified earlier for their 2023 performance.
Most verified mines performed strongly in Indigenous Peoples and Community Outreach and Safety and Health, though many need improvement in Water Stewardship and Climate Change protocols.
“Our goal is for all member facilities to achieve Level A or better across all indicators under the eight TSM Protocols,” Toledo said.
Level A represents good practice, while AAA denotes excellence and leadership.
Established by the Mining Association of Canada in 2004, the TSM is a performance-based sustainability program adopted by COMP in 2017 and is now implemented in 15 mining jurisdictions worldwide. It helps ensure that mining risks are managed responsibly and best practices are consistently applied.
