Businesses

Once the largest employer in Baguio City and Itogon, Benguet Province, in the 1980s, the Company, during its height, employed 8,000 miners across its Acupan, Kelly, and Antamok mines. The mining activity stimulated economic growth in these towns and their surrounding areas. However, the devastating 1990 Baguio earthquake, which resulted in several weeks of electricity blackout and flooded the underground mines, coupled with low gold prices, forced Benguet Corporation to halt operations, leading to the influx of illegal small-scale miners within its claims. Their unregulated mining methods brought environmental degradation, infrastructure damage, as well as security concerns. Responding to these challenges, Benguet Corporation pioneered the ACMP in January 2002. This innovative approach marked a collaborative effort between Benguet, as a large-scale mining operator and small-scale miners organized into associations or cooperatives and accredited by MGB as mining contractors. It introduced safer, more efficient, and legally compliant mining practices in a community-based livelihood setting. The ACMP revitalized operations at the Acupan mine alongside large-scale mining and served as a replicable model for responsible mining practices nationwide.

BGO’s commitment to environmental stewardship is attested by its ISO 14001:2015 Environmental Management Certification. This certification was first obtained in 2016 and is validated yearly. Furthermore, the Company was runner-up in the Safest Underground Mining Operation Category Award at the 67th and 69th Annual Mine Safety and Environment Conference for Fiscal Years (FY) 2020-2021 and 2022-2023, respectively. These awards highlight the Company’s continued dedication to safety, sustainability, and contribution to combat worsening climate change.