BERONG Nickel Corporation’s rehabilitated mine site in Palawan showcases the progress of its six-year Final Mine Rehabilitation and Decommissioning Plan, with around 100 hectares of previously disturbed land already restored as the company works toward completing the country’s first approved FMRDP for a nickel mine.
PHOTOGRAPH by Mico Virata for DAILY TRIBUNE
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Four years after ending nickel mining operations, Berong Nickel Corporation (BNC) is investing heavily in restoring its former mine site in Palawan, positioning its rehabilitation program as a model for responsible mine closure as it advances toward completing the country’s first approved Final Mine Rehabilitation and Decommissioning Plan for a nickel mine.
The rehabilitation program, scheduled for completion in 2027, will culminate in the formal turnover of the restored mine site to the government after six years of environmental recovery.
100 hectares already rehabilitated
The Berong Mine, located in Quezon, Palawan, covers a 288-hectare Mineral Production Sharing Agreement area. Of the 137 hectares previously disturbed by mining activities, around 100 hectares have already been rehabilitated, while restoration continues across the remaining areas.
Rather than relying solely on tree planting, BNC’s rehabilitation combines engineering and ecological restoration through slope stabilization, topsoil replacement, erosion control, drainage management, indigenous tree planting, and biodiversity monitoring to restore the landscape to a safe and productive condition.
As of 2026, the company has invested about P160 million in rehabilitation, planted nearly 352,000 seedlings with a 97 percent survival rate, and produced more than 497,000 seedlings in its nurseries, allowing it to exceed its Year 4 rehabilitation targets.
Environmental restoration program
The company’s rehabilitation efforts come as fellow Palawan nickel producer Citinickel Mines and Development Corporation (CMDC) also continues to expand its environmental restoration program.
CMDC earlier reported that it has rehabilitated hectares of land while planting more than 1.2 million trees as part of its commitment to achieve a 100 percent rehabilitation rate after mining operations. The company also maintains a central plant nursery capable of accommodating up to 700,000 seedlings to support continuing reforestation and ecosystem restoration.
Beyond restoring former mine areas, BNC also implements mangrove reforestation, sea turtle conservation, and coral gardening projects in partnership with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, regulators, and host communities to strengthen biodiversity in Palawan.
