April 11, 1997

DENR ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 11-97

Pursuant to Section 100 of

SECTION 1. Mandate. The Mines and Geosciences Bureau shall be the primary government agency under the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) responsible for the sustainable exploration, development, utilization and conservation of all mineral resources in public and private lands within the territory and exclusive economic zone of the Republic of the Philippines. Toward this end and in accordance with DENR policies and plans, it shall be primarily responsible for the rational administration and disposition of mineral lands and resources, development of mining, geological, metallurgical, chemical and related technologies thru basic and applied researches, and inventory of mineral resources.

SECTION 2. Objectives. To accomplish its mandate, the Bureau shall be guided by the following objectives:

2.1 General Objectives To promote the rational exploration, development, utilization and conservation of mineral resources under a new regime of mining that is pro-people and pro-environment in sustaining wealth creation and improved quality of life.

2.2 Specific Objectives To enhance the contribution of mineral resources utilization to national economic development, with emphasis on the direct benefits of mining to local governments and affected communities.

To promote participation of the private sector in the sustainable exploration, development and utilization of mineral resources. llcd

To ensure the economic viability of mineral resources utilization in the context of efficiency of operations, clean technology and sustained productivity of post-mining land use.

To promote equitable access to economically viable mineral resources.

SECTION 3. Organizational Structure. Consistent with its transformation from a staff to line agency, the Bureau's organizational structure shall consist of the central and regional offices, as well as district and other pertinent offices that may be hereinafter created.

It shall exercise supervision and control over its regional, district and other field offices, which shall, in turn, constitute the operating arms of the Bureau for the direct implementation of plans and programs in accordance with approved policies and standards.

The Chief Executive of the Bureau is the Director who has the prime authority and responsibility to carry out the mandate of the Bureau, and discharge its powers and functions.

The Regional Director, with a rank equivalent to that of a Regional Technical Director, shall discharge the mandate of the Bureau at the regional level and be directly responsible to the Bureau Director.

The different organizational subdivisions and their major functional responsibilities are as follows:

Central Office

3.1. Office of the Director

The Director shall exercise supervision and control over all divisions and other units, including regional offices, under the Bureau; establish policies and standards for the operations of the Bureau pursuant to DENR plans and program; promulgate rules and regulations necessary to carry out the Bureau objectives; and perform such other duties and functions as may be assigned by the DENR Secretary and/or provided by law.

In particular, the Office of the Director shall take direct charge in the administration and disposition of mineral lands and mineral resources; manage Mineral Reservations; recommend to the DENR Secretary the granting of mining rights and the adoption of policies on matters relating to mineral resources management and geosciences development; provide legal services and manage the overall operations of the Bureau. Cdpr

This office shall exercise supervision over the following Divisions:

3.1.1 Planning and Policy Division

The Planning and Policy Division shall undertake planning, programming and monitoring and evaluation of programs/projects/activities; coordinate and assist in the formulation of policies, plans and programs for both central and regional operations; and take charge of project development in coordination with the various divisions of the Central and Regional Offices.

This Division shall be composed of the following Sections:

3.1.1.1 Planning and Programming

3.1.1.2 Policy Studies

3.1.2 Administrative Division

The Administrative Division shall administer the Bureau's human resources development, records, property/supply management and general services.

This Division shall be composed of the following Sections:

3.1.2.1 Human Resource Management

3.1.2.2 Records

3.1.2.3 General Services

3.1.2.4 Property

3.1.3 Finance Division

The Finance division shall undertake the budgeting, cashiering and accounting operations of the Central Office and integrate the budgeting and accounting procedures of the entire Bureau operations.

This Division shall be composed of the following Sections:

3.1.3.1 Budget and Fiscal

3.1.3.2 Accounting

3.1.4 Mineral Economics Division

The Mineral Economics Division shall develop strategies for mining investment promotions; formulate policies on mineral economics; undertake statistical functions relating to mineral production and other related mineral statistical data, including micro-forecasting and trend analysis; undertake macro-forecasting of mining industry trends; and establish benchmarks in mining economics, including the conduct of socio-economic surveys.

This Division shall be composed of the following Sections:

3.1.4.1 Mineral Statistics

3.1.4.2 Mining Economics

3.1.4.3 Investment Promotion

3.1.5 Mining Environment and Safety Division

The Mining Environment and Safety Division shall provide scientific and technological foundations in establishing environmental standards, guidelines and procedures for mining operations, including small-scale mining, in particular mine rehabilitation and mine-related pollution thresholds; undertake mine environmental audit and research, develop strategies for a comprehensive environmental protection program for mining operations; promote the adoption of best practice in mining environmental management, undertake mine safety and health audit and coordinate the national program on safety and health in mining operations; and provide technical support services to the Regional Offices, other Government agencies, mining contractors/permittees/permit holders and the general public.

This Division shall be composed of the following Sections:

3.1.5.1 Mine Safety and Health

3.1.5.2 Mine Rehabilitation

3.1.5.3 Mine Environmental Management

3.1.5.4 Small Scale Mining Environmental Protection

3.1.6 Mining Tenements Management Division

The Mining Tenements Management Division shall undertake final evaluation/review of all mining rights applications forwarded by the Regional Offices; perform systems audit in the administration of operations of mining contractors and permittees; and manage the Mineral Rights Management System.

This Division shall be composed of the following Sections:

3.1.6.1 Evaluation

3.1.6.2 Systems Audit and Development

3.1.6.3 Mineral Rights Management System

3.1.7 Public Information and Publication Division

The Public Information and Publication Division shall take charge of the I.E.C. Campaign of the Bureau, including public affairs; provide printing, publication, photographic, binding and reproduction services, including the publication of the Mineral Gazette as mandated by

This Division shall be composed of the following Sections:

3.1.7.1 Information

3.1.7.2 Library

3.1.7.3 Publication

3.1.8 Marine Geological Survey Division

The Marine Geological Survey Division shall conduct marine and coastal geological and geophysical surveys and promote marine mineral resources and geosciences development; operate and maintain the Bureau's marine survey vessel (RPS Explorer); and provide technical support services to the Regional Offices, other government agencies and mining contractors/permittees in connection with marine and coastal geological surveys.

This Division shall be composed of the following Sections:

3.1.8.1 Marine Mineral Exploration

3.1.8.2 Marine Geophysics

3.1.8.3 Coastal and Marine Geology

3.1.8.4 Marine Technology

3.1.9 Lands Geological Survey Division

The Lands Geological Survey Division shall formulate, develop and coordinate the adoption/implementation of national geological mapping programs, field survey and laboratory research technologies and geostandards and georeference materials; conduct specialized researches in geology, petrology, ore genesis mineralogy and other related scientific disciplines, including the conduct of hydrogeological, geohazards and geo-environmental site assessments; operate and maintain a GIS-based geo-information and remote sensing facilities for geological applications; and provide technical support services to the Regional Offices, other government agencies, mining contractors/permittees and the general public.

This Division shall be composed of the following Sections:

3.1.9.1 Geological Survey Research

3.1.9.2 Environmental Geology and Hydrogeology Research

3.1.9.3 Mineral Deposits and Ore Genesis Research

3.1.9.4 Geological Database and Information Systems

3.1.9.5 Geological Laboratory Services

3.1.10 Mining Technology Division

The Mining Technology Division shall document and develop database systems on mine planning and design, exploration drilling and mine feasibility evaluation in support of mining technology development within a sound environmental framework; develop standards, guidelines and procedures in mine feasibility evaluation; conduct laboratory researches, in particular rock mechanics and safety of personal protective equipment pertinent to ground stability and safety of mine personnel; and provide and coordinate on a national level technical support services to Regional Offices and mining contractors/permittees in the fields of mine feasibility evaluation and laboratory research. cdtai

This Division shall be composed of the following Sections:

3.1.10.1 Mine Engineering

3.1.10.2 Mine Feasibility Evaluation

3.1.10.3 Exploration Drilling

3.1.10.4 Mining Technology Laboratory Services

3.1.11 Metallurgical Technology Division

The Metallurgical Technology Division shall develop metallurgical processes of extracting minerals from ores; provide and coordinate on a national level metallurgical and analytical services to Regional Offices, mining contractors/permittees and the general public; undertake metallurgical batch tests for the technical and economic feasibility of mineral extraction from ores, including pilot testing and flowsheet preparation; conduct analysis of metallurgical products and develop substitute analytical procedures and chemical reagents; and operate and maintain metallurgical and chemical laboratories, including part fabrication and modification.

This Division shall be composed of the following Sections:

3.1.11.1 Metallurgical Research

3.1.11.2 Metallurgical Services

3.1.11.3 Mechanical & Electrical Services

3.1.11.4 Chemical Laboratory Services

Regional Office

3.2 Office of the Regional Director

The Regional Director shall implement the pertinent laws, policies, rules and regulations; implement the Bureau's programs in the region; exercise the management functions of planning, organizing, directing and controlling; and perform such other duties and functions as may be provided by law or further delegated by the Director.

In particular, the Office of the Regional Director shall take charge of mineral lands administration and geosciences services; provide staff services on planning, mineral economics, community development in relation to mining activities, information/education/communication campaign and legal matters; and render staff and technical support to the Panel of Arbitrators and the Provincial/City Mining Regulatory Board.

This Office shall exercise supervision over the following Divisions:

3.2.1 Administrative and Finance Division

The Administrative and Finance Division shall provide general administrative services pertaining to human resource management, records, property and other forms of support to operations; and render budgeting, cashiering and accounting services.

This Division shall be composed of the following Sections:

3.2.1.1 Administrative

3.2.1.2 Finance

3.2.2 Mine Management Division

The Mine Management Division shall undertake processing/initial evaluation of mining rights applications and manage the issuance of mining rights and operations in mining tenements; take charge of the operationalization of the mineral rights management system and provide technical services to other Government agencies, mining contractors/permittees and the general public.

This Division shall be composed of the following Sections:

3.2.2.1 Mining Rights Licensing

3.2.2.2 Monitoring and Technical Services

3.2.2.3 Mineral Land Survey

3.2.3 Mining Environment and Safety Division

The Mining Environment and Safety Division shall be responsible for the enforcement and monitoring of compliance with the environmental and safety provisions of

This Division shall be composed of the following sections:

3.2.3.1 Mine Safety and Health

3.2.3.2 Mining Environment

3.2.3.3 Small-Scale Mining Environmental Protection

3.2.4 Geosciences Division

The Geosciences Division shall conduct geological, geoenvironmental and mineral exploration surveys; complement the Mine Management Division in the evaluation of mining rights applications; and provide geological and geo-scientific information and geo-technical services to other Government agencies, mining contractors/permittees and the general public. Cdpr

This Division shall be composed of the following Sections:

3.2.4.1 Geological Survey Section

3.2.4.2 Mineral Exploration

3.2.4.3 Laboratory Services

3.3 District and other Pertinent Offices

The District Office, as may be hereinafter created by the Secretary upon recommendation by the Director shall be an extension of the Regional Office, particularly in the I.E.C. campaign and provision of technical services.

Other pertinent offices as may be likewise hereinafter created shall be responsible for other specific functions as may be warranted later on.

SECTION 4. Administrative Relationships. The DENR Secretary shall have supervision and control of the Bureau. For this purpose, the Director shall report directly to the DENR Secretary thru the Undersecretary for Field Operations.

The Bureau Regional Director and the DENR Regional Executive Director shall be co-equal in terms of the implementation of their respective functions and duties in the region; Provided, that the DENR Regional Executive Director shall exercise coordinate authority over MGB Regional Director under circumstances where the program, project and/or activity in the region is the primary responsibility of the former, and in times of non-mining-related emergencies, natural calamities, disasters, social disorders and other fortuitous events, the DENR Regional Executive Director shall exercise operational control and supervision over MGB in the area. In such cases the respective heads of offices or units retain administrative control over their respective personnel.

SECTION 5. Geographical Jurisdiction of the Regional Office. With the transformation of the then Mines and Geosciences Development Service into the Mines and Geosciences Bureau Regional Office, the geographical jurisdiction of the latter shall conform with that of the former; provided, that there shall only be one Regional Office in Region IV; provided, further that the Bureau Central Office shall absorb the former Mines and Geosciences Development Service of the National Capital Region. llcd

In effect, there shall be fourteen (14) Regional Offices, each for Region I to XIII and the Cordillera Administrative Region.

SECTION 6. Staffing. The Mines and Geosciences Bureau Central Office shall be initially complemented with additional ninety six (96) positions to be created on top of its existing plantilla positions.

The fourteen (14) Mines and Geosciences Bureau Regional Offices shall be initially complemented with a total additional five hundred sixty four (564) positions to be created on top of their existing plantilla positions, which shall be allocated in accordance with their respective staffing patterns.

The appropriate staffing pattern, position classification and organizational structure in accordance with the preceding premises are shown in Annexes A and B and shall be implemented upon issuance of the necessary order or approval by law. The positions shall be filled in accordance with Civil Service rules and regulations.

SECTION 7. Transitory Provision. Pending the approval of the new staffing pattern and position classification, all permanent and casual employees of the Bureau shall continue to perform their respective duties and responsibilities and receive the corresponding salaries and benefits due them, unless otherwise separated from government service. prcd

The Bureau shall also internally adopt the new organization in the interim, by reassigning its personnel, including those of the then Mines and Geosciences Development Service of the National Capital Region, but without necessarily allocating additional funds for Personal Services and subject to existing rules and regulations on reassignment or transfer of personnel.

In addition, the Office of the Regional Executive Director shall also provide the budgeting, accounting, cashiering and other support services necessary for the Regional Office in the same interim period, as may be necessary.

SECTION 8. Repealing Clause. All Orders, Circulars, or Instructions of the DENR inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed or amended accordingly.

SECTION 9. Effectivity. This Order shall take effect immediately.

(SGD.) VICTOR O. RAMOS
Secretary
Department of Environment and Natural Resources

ANNEX A