An Exploration Permit (EP – 000001) was granted to Midan Corporation on April 26, 2016. This covers 844.012 hectares for the exploration of gold, etc. located at the Municipality of Santa Catalina, Negros Oriental. Processed by MGB-7, this EPis the first issued under the newly created MGB-Negros Island Region.

It is noteworthy to recall that on May 29, 2015 President Aquino III has signed Executive Order No. 183 “Creating a Negros Island Region and For Other Purposes”. The new Negros Island Region (NIR) is composed of the Province of Negros Occidental (Originally under the Western Visayas Region (Region 6)) and Negros Oriental (Originally under the Central Visayas Region (Region 7)). The main objective in creating the new region is to further accelerate the social and economic development as well as improve the delivery of public services of the cities and municipalities of the aforesaid provinces.

Pursuant to E.O. No. 183, the Mines and Geosciences Bureau created a new Regional Office for Negros Island Region, the MGB-NIR with Regional Office based in Bacolod City.