Corporate Social Responsibility

Employment trends

One of Apex’s priorities is to employ as many members of the local population as possible. Almost 60% of the mine’s labor force comes from the four impact barangays (villages), with 9% being Indigenous Peoples (IPs) and 13% residents of Maco municipality. An IP-owned agency has supplied manpower requirements for temporary activities and opened up a canteen at the site for both regular and casual employees.

Since the establishment of the Training and Development department in early 2008, 40 employees have been awarded national certificates in a variety of technical competencies.

Health promotion

Apex has established health-promotion programs for its workers and their families. These programs focus on increasing people’s knowledge of how to take fewer risks with their health and include lectures on diseases of lifestyle such as diabetes and obesity.

In the work environment itself the occupational medical staff of Apex teach workers about preventing injuries and the use of personal protective equipment.

Safety at work

The safety standards used at Apex comply with those set by the Philippines Mining Act. Safety seminars and emergency drills for different scenarios are carried out quarterly to enable employees to assess risk and respond promptly in emergency situations. The Emergency Response Team comprises ten members and uses advanced rescue equipment for saving lives and property.

This team provided excellent service during landslides that occurred in September of 2008 and a flash flood that happened in January 2009, which, unfortunately, claimed the lives of two Apex employees.

Environmental matters

Environmental protection and enhancement are as important to Apex as they are to the Philippines generally. The mine has won two national awards for its mining forest and Apex plays a huge role in the government’s seed-planting projects, having produced almost 400,000 seedlings of various plantation species for the government.

Tailing ponds and silt ponds are closely monitored and rehabilitation measures are performed. Regular monitoring of water and air quality is undertaken according to the standards set by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. The Multipartite Monitoring Team monitors hazardous waste.