ANTI-ILLEGAL MINING CAMPAIGN, BUTUAN CITY POLICE OFFICE, POLICING STRATEGY, SMALL-SCALE MINING 

Illegal mining is highly destructive to the environment considering the extraction
of minerals from the earth that affects the integrity of the soil, site clearing that impact
on the resident biodiversity, and the operation-associated generations of dusts, tailings,
and other pollutants that can run to secondary impact areas such as settlement areas,
agri-production and fishery areas and water bodies. It is in this context that this study
was conducted to assess the anti-illegal mining campaign of the Butuan City Police.
Specifically, the study was done to assess the anti-illegal mining campaign of the
Butuan City Police Office in terms of: information gathering; enforcement of mining laws;
inter-agency coordination and community involvement. It also identify what are the
problems encountered on the anti0illegal mining campaign of the Butuan City Police
Officer in terms of: information gathering; enforcement of mining laws; inter-agency
coordination and community involvement. Likewise, it determined on what are the
measures that can be proposed to address the problems on the anti-illegal mining
campaign relative to the aforementioned variables. Also, it tested the significant
difference among the assessment of the respondents on the anti-illegal mining
campaign against small-scale mining, problems encountered and the corresponding
measures in relation to the aforementioned variables. Further, it was done to formulate
policy strategy against small-scale mining.
It was hypothesized in this study that there is no significant difference in the
assessment of the three groups of respondents (PNP officers, Local Government Unit
and Community) on the level of effectiveness on the implementation of the anti-illegal
mining campaign of the Butuan City Police Office, problems encountered and
corresponding measures relative to information gathering; enforcement of mining laws;
inter-agency coordination and community involvement. To test the hypothesis, a
descriptive method was utilized and a random sampling method employed to determine
the number of respondents to be included in the study. There were 286 respondents
from Butuan City and they were distributed as follows: 57 for Philippine National Police,

100 for Local Government Unit and 129 for Community. The relevant information
elicited from the respondents was analyzed and interpreted utilizing weighted mean and
Analysis of Variance (ANOVA).
It was revealed that the group of respondents perceived the Anti-Illegal
Campaign of Butuan City Police Office against small-scale mining in terms of
information gathering; enforcement of mining laws; inter-agency coordination and
community involvement as moderately effective with Overall Average Weighted Mean of
3.17 Likewise, it was disclosed in the study that the problems encountered by the
Butuan City Police Station on Anti-Illegal mining campaign against small-scale mining
as to information gathering; enforcement of mining laws; inter-agency coordination and
community involvement are regarded as serious (Overall Average Weighted Mean of
3.68). In the same manner, it was revealed that the measures to address the problems
encountered by the Butuan City Police Office on anti-illegal mining campaign is
perceived highly recommended by the three groups of respondents with OAWM of 4.25.
In addition, it was showed that there are significant differences on the perceptions of the
three groups of respondents on the area of assessment, problems encountered and the
measures that could be proposed to address the problem encountered in the campaign
against illegal mining of Butuan City Police Office. Further, a proposed action plan on
the anti-illegal mining campaign of the Butuan City Police Office against small-scale
mining with regards to information gathering; enforcement of mining laws; inter-agency
coordination and community involvement is designed to supplement the need of Butuan
City Police Office to alleviate the four specified areas of their weaknesses.
Based on the foregoing conclusions, it was suggested that the Butuan City Police
Office personnel must put greater emphasis on the advocacy on the anti-illegal mining
campaign through the conduct of sustainable, anti-illegal mining operations against
small-scale mining operations in Butuan City. Further strict implementation of mining
laws and ordinance without fear and favor must be observed. Likewise, the activation of
composite anti-illegal mining team through Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) shall be
taken to have an inter-agency collaboration among concerned agencies, private sector
and other stakeholders to have a commitment and shared responsibility in the campaign
against small-scale mining activities. To enhance the knowledge on mining laws and
other relevant issues the concerned agencies must conduct regular seminars and
training not only to the law enforcement agencies but also include different sectors of
the community for better understanding on the effects of small0scale mining in the
environment. The active participation of the community is very vital in accomplishing the
given task of the Butuan City Police Office on the preservation of natural resources.
In addition, it was suggested that the Butuan City Police Office should play a
major role in coordinating and sustaining a multi-level, multi-stakeholder platform to
promote anti-illegal mining campaign on small-scale in the city. The active commitment
and leadership of City Police Office Officials is important for protecting and conserving
the City’s natural and man-made resources including its cultural sites and heritage.
Moreover, the Local Government Units must effectively engage local communities and
citizens with environmental activities and link their concerns with the government plans
and programs. As the most immediate public service provider and interact with citizens,
local governments are naturally situated in the best positions to raise citizens’
awareness and to listen to their concerned. Further, the Butuan City Police Office

Personnel through the Local Government Unity should devise and implement innovative
tools and techniques for anti-illegal mining campaign against small-scale, which can be
replicated elsewhere or scaled up nationwide. Because of its smaller scale and
flexibility, a local government in better positioned than a national government to develop
and experiment with various new tools and techniques, applying them to unique settings
and policy priorities. Furthermore, the Local Government Units Officials must encourage
Barangay Officials to gather data and information with their practical knowledge in
assessing the effects of small-scale mining, determining the vulnerabilities of their local
communities, and taking the appropriate actions to mitigate them on community based
approach. Finally, the future researcher wish to replicate the current study must include
other variables which are not reflected therein. It is also recommended that future
researchers should consider qualitative study t landscape the experience of the
Philippine National Police. Local Government Units and the community anti-illegal
mining campaign within Butuan City.