True to its vision and mission, Hallmark Mining Company (HMC) has successfully distributed 100,000 high-value seedlings to partner People’s Organization across Mati City and Tarragona, Davao Oriental. This follows the government’s undertaking of Special Tree Cutting Permit (STCEP) Replacement Planting Initiative.
The turnover, and succeeding tree planting activity, was coordinated in close relation with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to ensure that the seedlings are deployed to priority areas for reforestation sites under HMC’s Special Tree Cutting Permit and Earthballing Permit (STCEP).
On top of the priority areas are Brgy. Taguibo, Mati City and Brgy. Limot, Tarragona which received 30,000 and 20,000 seedlings respectively. This success is attributed to strong institutional partnership between government and industry.
The seedlings are guaranteed to act as a critical shield against soil erosion and flash floods during typhoon season. Simultaneously, the company ensures to provide high-value yielding seedlings to farmers.
Crops like durian and cacao are among the high-value crops donated by HMC to farmers as permanent livelihood assets, with the goal of boosting local economy.
Moreover, the involvement of communities and the company’s adherence to the internationally recognized principle of Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) form part of their values. The recent coordination of Hallmark with Indigenous Peoples groups proves their commitment to this principle.
For HMC, complying with government efforts in combating environmental degradation is more than a regulatory requirement; it is a natural extension of the company’s core adherence to sustainable mining and community-led reforestation. HMC’s mining methods, as echoed by Davao Oriental State University president Dr. Roy Ponce, “pose only a minimal impact on local biodiversity.” By extracting minerals in strategic “patches” rather than through traditional large-scale clearing, this practice ensures minimal disruption to the forest.
Patch mining keeps the surrounding areas intact while providing the ecosystem with sufficient recovery time. While nature heals, the company continues to move forward with its sustainable practices.
Butch Sebua, HMC’s Environmental Manager, stated that Hallmark’s consistency with its company values differentiates it from other mining corporations. “Here, we recognize that we are merely borrowing from nature. That’s why as much as we can, and with the help of the local government, we do our best to give back by ensuring sustainable mining practices.”
Through their environmental and community initiatives, HMC hopes to demonstrate that mining can be achieved without compromising Indigenous rights and with strict adherence to government regulations. This underscores both realization and accountability—successfully balancing the revival of a high-potential industry with a deep-seated duty to protect the land and its ancestral stewards.
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