Daguma Agro Minerals Inc. —the concession holder of the Department of Energy’s (DOE) coal mining project in Lake Sebu, South Cotabato—remains hopeful that its operations can still proceed despite the rejection by the local council in a controversial vote, considering the project’s importance.

In a statement, the company said the decision of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of South Cotabato was “most unfortunate, particularly because this project, which was initiated by the DOE, has national significance.”

“Consistent with the DOE’s mandate to search for, develop and utilize indigenous sources of energy including fossil fuels, tapping into our country’s own coal reserves to generate electricity remains the more sensible approach to achieving power security,” it said.

Its critics claim the proposed project violates the provisions of the provincial environment code that bans open pit mining.

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