RD Ancheta attends 1st expanded staff meeting of MGB Central;

Presents agenda to MGB R02 staff

By: Lyndee Rose Basilio

Engr. Mario A. Ancheta, OIC Regional Director of Mines and Geosciences Bureau Region 02 (MGB R02) attended the first expanded staff meeting at the MGB Central Office together with the different MGB Regional Directors held last February 17, 2015.

Engr. Ancheta presented to the MGB R02 staff during the conduct of Monday’s convocation on February 23, 2015 at MGB Conference hall the various agenda they tackled in the Expanded Staff Meeting. On his discussion, he emphasized the functional statement of the office particularly all the divisional functions.

He said that the Office of the Regional Director (ORD) shall be performing tasks such as directing and implementing laws, rules and regulations of the Bureau.

Further, He said based on the functional statement that the Information, Education and Communication (EIC) unit is under the ORD where he will be the head of the IEC team.

He re- orientated the body of the communication protocol of the Office, according to him if it is addressed to MGB Director, in general, signed by the Regional Director; if in response to DENR, addressed to DENR, thru the MGB Director and if he is on leave/official business, OIC will sign “by authority of the Regional Director.”

He also mentioned that the Geosciences Division (GSD) shall undertake its function of land and marine geoscientific survey where it will have subsections such as: General and Economic Geology Section that will conduct geological mapping, mineral exploration and other related geosciences activities.

Also, under GSD is Hydrogeology and Environmental Geology Section that shall conduct hydrogeological exploration and vulnerability assessment geo-environmental studies (including assessment of possible solid waste disposal sites and studies on climate change and other environmental impacts). Geohazard and Engineering Geology Section and Geological Laboratory Services Section will also be included as subsections of GSD were the Laboratory section will provide services on geological laboratory analysis of minerals and rocks.

RD Ancheta also informed the body that the Mine and Environment and Safety Division (MESD) shall be renamed into Mine Safety, Environment and Social Development Division (MSESDD) where a Social Development Section shall be included.

The MSESDD shall be responsible for the conduct of the evaluation and monitoring of implementation of programs and investigation of incidents/complaints on mine safety and health, environmental management and social development.

RD Ancheta also gave a discussion of the functions of Mine Management Division (MMD) were it shall be responsible in undertaking initial evaluation of mining applications and mining-related applications, monitoring of the disposition and utilization of mineral lands and resources, and survey of mineral lands where Monitoring and Technical Services Section, Mineral Lands Survey Section and Mining Tenement Evaluation Section are the three sections of MMD which will be responsible in monitoring of the disposition and utilization of mineral lands and resources, evaluation of application of survey order and survey returns and plans in areas outside mineral reservations and initial evaluation of mining and mining- related applications respectively.

The day’s convocation was filled with insights and it served as an avenue for re-orientation of old and new policies of MGB.