TAGANITO, Surigao del Norte – The economic activity in Surigao del Norte continues to boom as a mining firm has already given its share amounting to P822 million in terms of tax revenues to local and national coffers since 2008 and 2009, officials said.

The mining firm also vowed to uplift the living condition of the indigenous people (IPs).

“The natives, particularly the Mamanwas, will also receive their 1 percent royalty share in the mount of P72 million from the year 2006, 2007 and 2008 while their 2009 share is also in the preparation stage for release,” said Ms. Jane Urbanek, Community Relations Manager (CRM) of Taganito Mining Corporation (TMC) based here.

The three years’ share was already given to the natives’ Asosasyon sa Mandazaw Na Panagkaisanan mga Tribong Mamanwa sa Taganito ug Urbiztondo, said Urbanek, whose office is handling Mamanwa’s relations.

The company pays a 1 percent royalty share pursuant to the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act and the 1995 Philippine Mining Act from operations within the ancestral land of the Mamanwa tribe.