Local officials in Homonhon Island off Guiuan town in Eastern Samar are opposing the mineral ore export permit issued by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau in Region 8 (MGB-8) to Techiron Resources Inc. (TRI), a mining corporation primarily engaged in mining of chromite and other mineral resources. The permit also allows the Panamanian-registered cargo vessel, MV WV Peace to dock on the island, and load 7,000 metric tons of chromite ore concentrate. Guiuan Mayor Annaliz Gonzales-Kwan said she has instructed Guiuan police, the Army, and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) to bar the vessel from entering the island. “We hope that this permit should be suspended because this is in violation of the municipal executive order barring domestic and foreign vessels for entering Guiuan while we are under general community quarantine and we also have a 24-hour curfew,” she appealed.

Marticio, M. T. (2020, April 7). Mayor wants vessel manned by Chinese crew barred from docking in Guiuan. Manila Bulletin, p. 5.