Corporate Social Responsibility
We believe that we have a corporate social responsibility to protect and care for the people and the environment affected by our operations and attempt to improve the welfare and quality of life in the communities in which we operate. We believe that we contribute to the sustainable economic development of these communities and, more broadly, the nation.Community relations staff and community organizers assist us in building and establishing partnerships within the communities in which we operate, formulating programs that address the needs of such communities and also enable us to immediately address local issues and concerns. Projects for education, health, livelihood, infrastructure assistance and other social services are all designed and implemented in close coordination with relevant local government units and communities. The Community Technical Working Group, which is composed of representatives from local government units, government agencies, non-governmental organizations, community organizations, churches and us, regularly monitors our performance in implementing our social development and management program.
Education
We believe that a quality education is the best tool to fight poverty. We award scholarships and other forms of aid to deserving students, including students who are members of indigenous groups, so as to improve their education, job opportunities and their ability to support their families. Education projects also involve the improvement of school facilities, provision of educational materials to schools, teachers’ training programs and payment of teachers’ honoraria. At our Cagdianao mine, we have constructed seven school buildings, library and one atrium for the Barangays community- free education and school materials to about 905 students from the Barangays, Cagdianao and Hayanggabon communities. In addition, we provide Alternative Learning System project, an accredited program under the Department of Education, provide salaries for four teachers who work with public schools in the communities in which our Cagdianao mine is located. We have also initiated school to school campaign promoting knowled1ge in mining, sponsorship for inter-school educational competitions as well as mine site tours to students and teachers of Claver and nearby education institutions.
Health
Affordable and quality health care is provided to local community members, in addition to our employees and their dependents; conduct medical missions; free medicine, basic dental services and ambulance service facilities are provided; health care projects involve the construction and improvement of Barangay health centers, provision of sanitation latrines for households, and provision of salary to local health workers, midwives, nurses and a doctor. Outpatients are being treated by the medical team and medicine is provided for free. At our Cagdianao mine, we established a maternity clinic, where pregnant women as well as other members of the immediate community are being served.
Livelihood and Training
Members of the local communities in which we operate traditionally depend on agriculture and fishing for their livelihood. We provided a total of 34 motorboats to fishermen within the Barangays, Cagdianao and Hayanggabon region. We regularly provide local community organizations with technical and financial assistance in the form of seminars, study tours, financial literacy classes, leadership and management training programs, capital funding, equipment for farming and fishing and farm inputs for crop production.We also work with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (“TESDA”) to provide technical education and skills development to residents of neighboring communities. We constructed a skills training center and provided equipment that are utilized by TESDA participants and trainers. We also assisted the graduates of the skills training center to establish an auto repair shop, providing employment to some of the graduates.
In addition, we established a vegetable training farm to provide training and education for farmers, who may eventually be able to supply and sell their produce to the local markets and generate extra income.
Infrastructure Assistance
We undertake infrastructure projects in local communities, including water system projects, construction and improvement of buildings (such as barangay halls, daycare centers, churches and schools), road improvements and electrification projects as part of our social development and management program. These projects are implemented with the involvement of community members so as to foster cooperation and teamwork and impart a sense of ownership among them.At our Cagdianao mine, we funded various infrastructure projects such as, the construction of housing for indigent members of the community, through the Gawad Kalinga program, construction of sea walls to protect the neighboring communities from the effects of sea erosion, construction of a multi-purpose community hall in Barangays, Cagdianao, construction of some barangay road and churches, procurement of materials for the electrification of individual households, construction of water processing stations and construction of the Cagdianao public markets.
Moreover, we have also provided and constructed shallow water pumps, a weir dam and an office building at the local water processing stations to support the local water supply system in the nearby communities.
Other social services
We actively participate in, and provide financial and non-financial assistance to, local cultural celebrations, sports competitions and other socio-cultural activities. We also assist with soliciting support from various institutions like the academe, the religious sector, local groups and government agencies.