Duterte sole authority We must remember that the Philippine Congress --gave Mr. Duterte sole authority to grant authorizations as it pertains to reopening mines. This authority does not allow miners to forsake any environmental regulations---and Oceana is compliant in that respect.
Therefore, as has been pointed out, since all pertinent departments have effectively signed on to granting OGC a renewed FTAA, the matter awaits one signature. We remain in a state of Covid globally, nationally and locally. Didipio is in one of the least ravaged locations in the country. But opening the mine will essentially be a national affair in the sense that government cannot pick and choose small enclaves wherein to relax protocols. Personnel will come from many regions once given the green light. In my view, that is the holdup, not deliberations about whether Oceana will be contributing to the economic revitalization.
Therefore, imho and with an improved conscience, I believe that following Philippine national policy as it relates to relaxing Covid protocols in general is a good guage as to when the FTAA will be announced. There would be little fanfare(something Oceana wants big time--gala fanfare) resulting from an announcement about receiving the FTAA, then pouring water on it by informing investors that it will be enacted when Covid subsides sufficiently. Just a thought. IMO