Marcos signs EO to boost Task Force Diwalwal

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed Executive Order No. 88 on July 4 to strengthen the National Task Force Diwalwal, which oversees mining operations within the Diwalwal Mineral Reservation Area (DMRA), an 81-hectare gold-rich zone in Monkayo, Davao de Oro.

The order reconstitutes the task force and designates the Secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources as its new chairperson to address unauthorized mining activities and environmental degradation.

Task force members include representatives from various government agencies such as the Office of the President, the Department of National Defense, the Department of the Interior and Local Government, and the Mindanao Development Authority.

The task force will oversee all mining activities in the DMRA, ensuring the implementation of rehabilitation and development programs to create an environment conducive to lasting peace and sustainable development.

Government agencies are directed to provide full support for the effective implementation of the order, while local government units and the private sector are encouraged to cooperate as well.