ABORLAN, Palawan -- DMCI Mining Corp. is pushing to complete the rehabilitation of its former Berong nickel mine in Palawan ahead of schedule, saying it wants the site to demonstrate that responsible mining continues even after mineral production ends.

Tulsi Das C. Reyes, president and chief operating officer of DMCI Mining, said Berong Nickel Corp. (BNC) has deliberately gone beyond minimum rehabilitation requirements as it prepares to eventually turn over the restored site to the government.

“We’re actually ahead of schedule. One of the things we’re doing is being very over-compliant there," Reyes said.

The Berong Mine in Quezon, Palawan ceased mining operations in 2021 and is now under a six-year Final Mine Rehabilitation and Decommissioning Plan, the first approved FMRDP for a nickel mine in the Philippines.

BNC has invested about P160 million in rehabilitation activities as of 2026, planting nearly 352,000 seedlings with a 97-percent survival rate. Its nurseries have also produced more than 497,000 seedlings, exceeding its targets for the fourth year of the program.

Reyes said the company could technically complete the rehabilitation earlier, but it is taking additional time to ensure the work is fully finished before declaring the site rehabilitated.

“On paper, we could be done, but we’re not yet,” Reyes said. “We really want to fine-tune it and make sure that when we say we’re done, we’re done.”

The rehabilitation involves more than replanting trees, covering slope stabilization, topsoil replacement, erosion and drainage control, ecological restoration and biodiversity monitoring.

Reyes said BNC is also consulting the local government and coordinating with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources as it works toward completion.

The company expects to formally turn over the rehabilitated site to the government after completing the program. But Reyes said DMCI Mining does not intend to completely cut ties with the area.

“Officially, yes, we’ll leave. But unofficially, we’ll still be around,” he said.

He added that the company wants to see how the local government manages the rehabilitated site and remains available to help ensure the restoration succeeds.