Radiation-hit Misamis Oriental steel plant still non-compliant with ECC

The steel plant in Tagolan, Misamis Oriental that tested positive for radioactive material remained non-compliant with the key conditions of the Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC), the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said Thursday.

Despite follow-up inspections since 2024, the DENR said the Philippine Sanjia-Steel Corporation (PSSC) failed to meet three specific requirements of the ECC: the installation of a continuous emission monitoring system; the conduct of a mandated environmental audit; and the formation and operation of a multi‑partite monitoring team.

"The findings build on a history of regulatory intervention. Inspectors from the Environmental Management Bureau's Central Office and its Region 10 unit carried out a joint inspection of the PSSC facility on May 21, 2024, and the EMB later issued a Notice of Violation that cited a dozen breaches of ECC conditions," the DENR said in a statement.

"An EMB order in October 2025 imposed an administrative fine of P450,000, which the company paid in December 2025 and for which it withdrew a motion for reconsideration," the statement read.

The Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI) earlier detected "elevated radioactivity" in some areas in the site.

Meanwhile, the National Bureau of Investigation said initial tests indicated the presence of radium, uranium, and thorium, according to the DENR.

"The DENR emphasized that monitoring and enforcement actions will continue while the PNRI completes its assessment of the isotopes' concentrations and potential risks to public health and the environment," the department said.

The steel plant was also under scrutiny after Philippine authorities found that Filipino workers were not provided with any personal protective equipment. In contrast, the undocumented Chinese citizens working at the plant were given full protective gear.

Local authorities also flagged the PSSC for manufacturing substandard steels.

At least 316 workers were displaced after the government recently suspended the firm's operations.

The PSSC is allegedly owned by Tony Yang, the brother of Michael Yang, who served as a presidential economic adviser to former president Rodrigo Duterte.

GMA News Online has reached out to the company through the contact details indicated in DENR documents, but it has yet to respond as of posting time. — VDV, GMA News