(UPDATE) AN official of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) said the regional government is eyeing more mining projects to boost revenues.

In an ambush interview, BARMM Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources and Energy (Menre) Badr Salendab said that areas rich in minerals can be developed.

'That is actually one of the programs that we are pushing right now, to determine the mineralization of our area, because we believe that there is a big potential. Of course, we have to balance it by protecting our environment, so we will implement a sustainable development approach here,' Salendab said.

There are three mining companies operating in the region, one in Sulu and two in Tawi-Tawi.

'Right now, three mining companies operate, but the two are already in the winding up stage. The one in Lugus (Sulu) is still in full blast operation. The permits of the two were issued way back, before the advent of BARMM; the third, it started operation during the BARMM,' Salendab said.

He said that some investors have manifested their interest in investing in mining.

'Of course, they will undergo the right process. It is a big help to the economy if mining is done right, as it provides jobs, it provides employment, it has domino industries downstream. Of course, we have to consider its effects on the environment,' the official said.

Salendab said that BARMM supports the move of the national government to revive the mining industry.

'It is understandable; we are feeling the economic devastation of Covid, so I think that is one of the actions being done by the national government to address that,' he said.

'We at Menre, we are the protector of the environment. That's our foremost consideration, so we really have to strike the fine balance between encouraging investment, providing for possible employment and of course, conserving and protecting our environment. We assure our people in the Bangsamoro that we are here to guard the environment,' he said.