Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Jose Atienza Jr. said Friday the environmental compliance certificate (ECC) issued to a Norwegian mining firm specifies the conditions that need to be completed before the start of a project, but the local government units in Mindoro will have the last say on the contested mining project.

“They are still in the exploration stage and are not yet conducting actual mining. It is up to the local government if they will allow Intex Resources to push through with the Mindoro Nickel Project,” Atienza said.

He explained that the ECC enumerates several conditions that need to be followed before the mining company could proceed with the project.

The chief of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said the local government is the one issuing permits for the actual operation of the mining company.

“The power to deny or accept the project is really on them. I can’t revoke the ECC immediately because arbitrarily we have laws that have to be followed. The possibility of mining can present their proofs,” Atienza said.

“If they are claiming that the mining concession is within a watershed then, the ECC is automatically moot. And if there was no public consultation, then that is against the law,” he added.

Last Tuesday, 25 Mangyans and priests declared a hunger strike in front of the DENR office in Quezon City due to the issuance of an ECC to Intex Resources, even with a standing moratorium on mining activities in Mindoro.

Atienza and the provincial government officials and church leaders conducted a dialogue at his office to resolve the issue, which led to the 90-day suspension of the ECC.

However, the protesters were not open to the decision. Instead they pursued their hunger strike to urge the DENR to revoke the ECC and the Minerals Production Sharing Agreement (MPSA) of Intex Resources.