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Women in mining industry stand tall in jobs previously dominated by men LOCAL women from a community in Zambales were employed by a mining company as backhoe operators. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
By Jonathan L. Mayuga
M
EET Angelita Lee and Jesalyn Guingging, women miners whose careers in mining continue to shine and show that women are more than capable of simply blending in a maledominated industry. Women in mining face various challenges as well as opportunities in a traditionally male-dominated industry, such as mining. While the sector has historically been dominated by macho males, the growing recognition of the importance of gender diversity and inclusivity in the workforce in the Philippines is opening the doors for women in mining. The month of March is celebrated in the Philippines as Women’s Month. It is also during the month that the Philippine Mining Act of 1995, reputedly the most stringent mining law in the world—taking into consideration the well-being of communities through the implementation of the Social Development and Management Program (SDMP)—was enacted.
Mining leadership LITA LEE, President of Eastern Rizal Miners Association, is co-owner of the Rapid City Realty Development Corporation, a quarrying company based in Rizal Province. She is also currently the vice president and treasurer of Rapid City. She is one of the most respected and recognizable faces in the industry today. Her accomplishments go beyond running a family-owned corporation engaged in non-metallic mining. In 1997, she was first appointed as member of the Rizal Provincial Mining Regulatory Board representing the largescale mining sector, a position she still holds to this day. Since 2010, she has also served as the president of the
JESALYN GUINGGING takes an active role in caring for the environment as well as the women in the local community. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Environmental stewardship LITA LEE regularly and actively participates in outreach programs that bring hope to the communities. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Eastern Rizal Miners Association, an accredited non-governmental organization of the province of Rizal.
Beyond responsible mining UNDER her watch, she has made it a point to show the province that there is such a thing as responsible mining. “I made it my goal to facilitate and maintain responsible mining through safety and health seminars, enhancement, and protection of the environment through reforestation, tree planting, and cleaning up of river tributaries. We also safeguard and care for our communities through free medical and dental missions, livelihood programs, sports development, medical activities, and education,” said Lee. “Even before the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) was ordering companies to do reforestation, we were already doing it,” she said, citing the company’s Inarawan quarry site. “It used to be barren. But when we reforested, it is now thickly covered with forest,” she said. Through reforestation, Lee spearheaded community projects involving communities and the Dumagat-Remontados tribes. “They are now in seedling production where we source our planting materials. And they earn from it,” Lee said. According to Lee, women are empowered to blend with their male counterparts in the mining sector
and are performing quite well. “There are more women who are into mining today. We have mining engineers and geologists who are women. Women are competent. They are meticulous, they are perfectionists. They want to perfect everything,” says Lee. “Even today, we have women welders who are excellent in welding,” she added.
GUINGGING, the chief environmental officer of the TVIRD Group, is one of the women leaders in the industry who advocate environmental stewardship through various programs. Called “GG” by colleagues, Guingging has been working with miners for 18 years now. Before that, she served in the DENR’s Caraga Regional Office. Today, Guingging is in charge of the Agata Nickel Project’s final rehabilitation program and also
the architect of Agata’s ridge-toreef approach—from upland reforestation activities, down to the successful coral relocation on its shores in Tubay, Agusan del Norte. One of the components of the ridge-to-reef program is the installation of improvised silt curtains made from abaca which help keep the shores of Tubay clean. The company provided training to the women from the local community to enhance their skills in abaca weaving. Continued on A2
Papal Nuncio, the ‘happy’ witness T
HE Rotary Club of Manila (RCM) hosted its 31st Weekly Membership Meeting on March 7, 2024, at the Manila Polo Club, featuring His Excellency, the Most Rev. Charles John Brown, the Papal Nuncio to the Philippines. His Excellency’s presence provided a unique opportunity for RCM members to discuss the rich Catholicism in the Philippines, in time with the Lenten season. In his address, His Excellency remarked, “The Catholic faith in the Philippines is part of your DNA, with 503 years of Catholic history. One of the impressive things to see here, for me as a Catholic and as a Nuncio, is the depth of Catholic faith here.” The Papal Nuncio also highlighted the unique phenomenon of popular religiosity in the Philippines, stating, “And one of the interesting phenomena here that all of you Filipinos better know than I do is the core phenomenon of popular religiosity… Popular religiosity like Santo Niño, Black Nazarene in Quiapo, Peñafrancia, Simbang Gabi Masses, Santacruzan processions, all of those things are connected with the Catholic Church. It’s a kind of emanation of Catholic Faith. It’s a very special and precious gift that I am entirely in favor of.” He also commended the Philippines for its beautiful Catholic tradition and culture, stating, “Your beautiful Catholic tradition, beautiful Catholic culture, are something that I applaud and that makes me very happy to see and to witness as a Nuncio.” During the meeting, the Most Reverend Brown also engaged with RCM members, discussing various aspects of Catholicism sparking insightful dialogue and reflection. The event highlighted RCM’s commitment to fostering dialogue and understanding on important issues facing society today.
ROTARY Club of Manila’s (RCM) 31st Weekly Membership Meeting, held on March 7, 2024, at the Manila Polo Club, heard from His Excellency, the Most Rev. Charles John Brown (center), the Papal Nuncio to the Philippines. He is joined in the photo by RCM President Rafael “Raffy” M. Alunan III (right) and RCM District Governor-Elect Joaquin C. Rodriguez Sr.
PESO EXCHANGE RATES Q US 55.8200 Q JAPAN 0.3771 Q UK 71.5054 Q HK 7.1375 Q CHINA 7.7602 Q SINGAPORE 41.8723 Q AUSTRALIA 36.9305 Q EU 61.1229 Q KOREA 0.0422 Q SAUDI ARABIA 14.8833 Source: BSP (March 8, 2024)