Members of the Philippine Nickel Industry Association (PNIA) invested over P698.5 million on environment and social development projects in 2020, the association said in a report.
Members allocated P531.7 million for the restoration of mined areas and other environmental risk-mitigation projects through Environmental Protection and Enhancement Programs required by law, the PNIA said in its maiden report outlining contributions to the UN sustainable development goals (SDG).
They also spent P166.8 million for Social Development Management Programs, which helped generate jobs, launched livelihood training and food security programs, and aided in the construction of schools, churches, multi-purpose halls, and hand-washing facilities.
PNIA members launched 61 programs that promoted SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure) in 2020, including road construction.
They also inaugurated 31 projects for SDG 4 (Quality Education), marked by the provision of new learning environment tools for communities amid the pandemic, and 27 projects for SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-Being), which were mostly dedicated to pandemic response, relief and support of essential services.
“We aspire to share to the people that the industry takes our jobs very seriously — we value our communities; we rehabilitate the environment to the fullest extent, and we are committed to making the industry sustainable for future generations. We go beyond our business goals,” PNIA President Dante Bravo said in a statement.
PNIA is a non-stock, non-profit association advocating for the nickel mining sector, with members accounting for about half of the country’s nickel output. John Ezekiel J. Hirro