Quarterly MMT confirms Greenstone’s adherence to environmental programs and sustainable operations
Surigao del Norte Provincial Environment Management Officer Engr. Fermina Gacuma (center) leads the inspection of environmental management practices and compliances at Greenstone’s Siana mine site. Surigao del Norte / March 2026 — The latest inspection by the Multipartite Monitoring Team (MMT) at the Siana Gold Project of Greenstone Resources Corporation reaffirmed the company’s continued compliance with environmental safeguards and responsible mining standards. The monitoring activity conducted last February 23 to 27 covered the third quarter of calendar year 2025, based on site validation conducted last September 22 to 26, and the subsequent MMT meeting held from December 1 to 5.
Conducted as part of the government’s quarterly monitoring process, the inspection brought together representatives from the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB), local government units, barangay leaders, and members of the religious sector. The multi-sectoral body reviews environmental performance and verifies that mining operations remain aligned with regulatory requirements and approved environmental programs.
Continuity of improvements
A key component of the process was the review of previous MMT minutes and matters arising, allowing the team to assess whether earlier commitments had been fulfilled. Specifically, prior recommendations on Social Impact Assessment (SIA) presentation and Annual Social Development and Management Program (ASDMP) dissemination were revisited, with the company confirming that initial SIA results had already been presented to host and neighboring communities and that consultations would continue.
Earlier directives to improve reporting were likewise addressed, including the revision of accomplishment reports to provide clearer justifications, the inclusion of more detailed data on health services and PPE distribution, and the enhancement of technical presentations such as those related to the Tailings Storage Facility (TSF).
Other commitments remain under active follow-through, including the completion of the ecosystem map integrating municipal land use plans, carbon inventory reporting, and the resolution of reforestation activities requiring external approvals. These updates show that recommendations are either completed, integrated into current reporting, or carried forward for continued monitoring, reflecting continuity across inspection cycles.
During the inspection, the team assessed the implementation of the company’s third quarter accomplishments under its Annual Environmental Protection and Enhancement Program (AEPEP) and ASDMP, alongside updates on mine development, environmental safeguards, and social performance.
For calendar year 2025, the AEPEP — covering the company’s Environmental Management Plan — was approved with a budget allocation of ₱104 million, with third quarter accomplishments reaching over 96 percent in both physical and financial targets. Meanwhile, the ASDMP recorded 100 percent physical and financial accomplishment for the same period, reflecting the full implementation of planned social development programs for beneficiary communities.
The evaluation covered key environmental indicators such as water quality monitoring, sediment control systems, waste management practices, biodiversity protection measures, and the status of rehabilitation and reforestation areas.
Forester Marvin Arlegui, head of the company’s environmental department, said the monitoring process also evaluates the performance of rehabilitation areas through indicators such as vegetation cover, seedling survival rates, slope stability, and ecosystem recovery.
The inspection also reviewed ongoing rehabilitation initiatives across the mine site. Based on third quarter reports, rehabilitation and maintenance activities covered multiple areas across both new and existing plantations, including 3 hectares of newly maintained plantation areas, a 1-hectare buffer zone maintenance, and 5.6 hectares of earlier rehabilitation sites, with survival rates ranging from approximately 89 to 95 percent.
Additional site-specific efforts were recorded in key facilities, including 7.7 hectares rehabilitated at TSF 3, 8 hectares at TSF 4, and ongoing works at TSF 5, alongside targeted slope stabilization measures. These figures reflect the continuing implementation and expansion of progressive rehabilitation across the project.
Strengthening environmental safeguards
While confirming the continued implementation of environmental protection measures, the MMT also issued recommendations aimed at further strengthening site management and environmental safeguards.
In response, the company committed to implementing slope stabilization, runoff diversion, and drainage improvements within scheduled timelines. These measures are intended to address site conditions identified during monitoring and to prevent erosion and water accumulation along mine haul roads, reflecting how recommendations are translated into corrective actions.
Transparency through stakeholder engagement
Greenstone continues to promote transparency through regular engagement with local communities and stakeholders.
Monthly Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) sessions are conducted with barangay officials and community representatives, where environmental monitoring results, laboratory analyses, and regulatory inspection findings are presented and discussed by the company’s technical teams.
These engagements allow stakeholders to review monitoring data, raise environmental concerns, and verify that environmental commitments are being implemented.
Continuous oversight
The MMT inspection forms part of the broader environmental governance framework for mining operations in the Philippines under the Philippine Mining Act of 1995.
Monitoring results are later reviewed by the Mine Rehabilitation Fund Committee (MRFC) to ensure that environmental commitments, rehabilitation programs, and financial safeguards remain properly implemented and funded.
Consistent with previous monitoring cycles, the third quarter 2025 inspection demonstrates that environmental compliance is continuously validated through a cycle of review, implementation, and follow-through. Prior commitments are revisited, current performance is assessed against targets, and new actions are identified for succeeding inspections.
For Greenstone, the monitoring process reflects its guiding principle of “Starting it right, keeping the end in mind,” integrating environmental protection, progressive rehabilitation, and stakeholder participation throughout the life of the mine.
