Just ask anyone who makes environmental impact assessments and environmental compliance certificates for a living. Ask them what sort of a development project does the least harm to the environment and the answer is almost invariably a golf course. At least, you can always put the site back to its original state once you finishing building the golf course.

But a mine site is totally different. You not only deface the landscape permanently; you inevitably have to use something toxic in the refining process depending on what minerals you are trying to mine.

Since we cannot be exclusively a nation of greens, fairways, sand traps and water hazards, it is inevitable that we get into some mining activity. After all, we have one of the biggest mineral reserves the size of which makes the eyes of foreign investors moist in anticipation.

The sad part is that the lead agency tasked to protect the environment, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), is also the prime government body promoting the development of the mining industry.

Talk about having a major conflict of interest. The DENR’s main mission is to be "the driving force in the pursuit of sustainable development, enabling stakeholders’ participation in the protection, conservation and management of the environment and natural resources for present and future generations." Yet, promoting the environmentally-destructive activity of mining is also part of the portfolio of its duties. And, in the pursuit of his duty, the DENR is also guided by investment targets and quotas plus the pressing need to keep the Philippines in the global mining map as an investment destination.

According to the DENR, investments in the sector were US$1.4 billion, according to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) from 2004-2007. In all, 63 different companies are doing business in the sector and engaging in exploration, mining operation and construction and development activities. It also generated some 6,500 new jobs during the same period.

Last year, the local mining sector generated P13.8 billion in new approved investments out of the total of P385.8 billion throughout the entire country. It may seem like a drop in a bucket but the DENR is optimistic about the outlook. It expects another US$1.8 billion in fresh investments coming from seven more projects that are in the advanced stages of implementation, US$300 million of which will materialize within the year. The DENR also expects another 30,000 new jobs to be created until 2010 for the entire sector.

Many of these companies are no lightweights but comprise some of the biggest and most recognized names internationally in the mining sector. Sometimes not the most environment-friendly, but distinguished names nonetheless.

What is worrisome is that it is the DENR that is making these pre-announcements like they would happen as sure as the sun will rise tomorrow. It may be a banner year for the mining industry but it does not like it is going to be a walk in the park for the environment.

Putting the job of promoting mining activities in the same boat as protecting the environment is like sending out invites for a shootout at the OK Corral. Tragically, we have such a situation in the DENR now. We have loaded the fireworks and the matches; all we need now is to wait for the explosion to occur somewhere along the way.