The Minerals Development Council (MDC), in cooperation with the DENR-Public Affairs Office (PAO) and the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), conducted a forum for key communicators from government and the private sector entitled “Communicating Responsible Mining: MDC Forum for Information, Education and Communication (IEC) Practitioners” at the Bayview Park , Ermita Manila, on December 11-12, 2008. The forum aimed to increase the capacity of government and private sector information officers and community relations officers to effectively communicate responsible mining to all stakeholders.

Some of the prominent guests who attended the said forum were Ambassador Delia D. Albert, Chamber of Mines President Benjamin Romualdex, Usec Ramon J.P. Paje, Asec Jeremias Dolino, Asec Gerardo Calderon, MGB Asst. Director Edwin Domingo and FMB Asst. Director Neria Andin.

Winners of the 2008 Presidential Mineral Industry Environmental Awards (PMIEA) were also invited to share their companies’ best practices in mining.

The two-day activity provided the participants with technical inputs and updates on the Revitalization Program for Responsible Mining and related activities.