812 XXXI International Mineral Processing Congress 2024 Proceedings/Washington, DC/Sep 29–Oct 3
discouraged to pursue BS MetE due to the stigma attached
to the mining industry.
AFTER GRADUATION
For the past seven years, the two universities have only pro-
duced about 415 graduates of BS MetE. After graduation,
there is a board exam that needs to be taken to become a
licensed Metallurgical Engineer. In the Philippines, prac-
tice of profession is regulated, therefore having a license is
important and a must. Since the BS MetE program covers
various tracks, not all Metallurgical Engineers will eventu-
ally land in the mining/minerals industry. Some will find
jobs in the semiconductor industry, metals fabrication, and
other metals industries in the country.
POSTGRADUATE DEGREE
The University of the Philippines Diliman is the only uni-
versity in the Philippines offering a postgraduate degree in
Metallurgical Engineering, which is a Master of Science
in Metallurgical Engineering (MS MetE). The students
are required to take 24 units of courses (equivalent to 8
courses) before they can enroll in thesis.
It was observed during the workshops with industry
stakeholders that professionals are not attracted to pursue
masters because they have no opportunity to attend classes
in the university unless they resign from their jobs. They
are more encouraged to pursue higher degree if their thesis
is directly related to the company they are working with.
The number of students in the MS MetE is low. For the
past seven years, the average number of students taking MS
MetE was only five (5) per academic year.
ACTIONS TAKEN
There are challenges experienced by the mining and miner-
als industry, and the education sector. But despite these,
the government strives to promote responsible mineral
resource utilization in the country. The universities con-
tinue to improve their curriculum to keep breast with the
advances in the field of mineral processing and of metal-
lurgy in general, while maintaining focus on the needs of
the country. Through research projects funded either by
the government or the industry, stakeholders are educated
with the best practice in mineral processing. Universities
continue to promote the field of metallurgy by conducting
roadshows to senior high schools. This is not only to attract
enrollees to the BS MetE, but also to inform them of met-
allurgy in general. Mining companies are not only provid-
ing scholarships to students who are taking metallurgical or
mining engineering as well as geology, but also offering job
opportunities in their company after graduation.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The author would like to acknowledge the Department
of Mining, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering,
University of the Philippines Diliman, Engr. Leaniel
Silva and Dr. Vannie Joy Resabal from Mindanao State
University, Iligan Institute of Technology for sharing infor-
mation of their Metallurgical Engineering program, and
the Department of Science and Technology -PCIEERD.
REFERENCES
Fatalla, J. 2018. The 1996 Marcopper Mining Disaster
in Marinduque: Five Decades of Social Injustice and
Neglect. Anthropology 198 (Special Topics), University
of the Philippines Baguio.
MGB, 2023. Metallic production value remains robust
in 2023. (https://mgb.gov.ph/2015-05-13-02-02-11
/mgb-news/1513-metallic-production-value-remains
-robust-in-2023#:~:text=The%20country’s%20
metallic%20production%20value,84%20billion%20
or%207.28%25) Retrieved on 27 December 2023.
MGB, 2023. MSC: The Philippine mineral industry at
a glance. (https://mgb.gov.ph/2015-05-13-01-44-
56/2015-05-13-01-47-51/23-industry-statistics/1336
-msc-the-philippine-mineral-industry-at-a-glance)
Retrieved on 27 December 2023.
Department of Mining, Metallurgical and Materials
Engineering, University of the Philippines Diliman
(https://dmmme.coe.upd.edu.ph/programs/).
College of Engineering, Mindanao State University—Iligan
Institute of Technology (https://www.msuiit.edu.ph/
academics/colleges/coe/programs/)
discouraged to pursue BS MetE due to the stigma attached
to the mining industry.
AFTER GRADUATION
For the past seven years, the two universities have only pro-
duced about 415 graduates of BS MetE. After graduation,
there is a board exam that needs to be taken to become a
licensed Metallurgical Engineer. In the Philippines, prac-
tice of profession is regulated, therefore having a license is
important and a must. Since the BS MetE program covers
various tracks, not all Metallurgical Engineers will eventu-
ally land in the mining/minerals industry. Some will find
jobs in the semiconductor industry, metals fabrication, and
other metals industries in the country.
POSTGRADUATE DEGREE
The University of the Philippines Diliman is the only uni-
versity in the Philippines offering a postgraduate degree in
Metallurgical Engineering, which is a Master of Science
in Metallurgical Engineering (MS MetE). The students
are required to take 24 units of courses (equivalent to 8
courses) before they can enroll in thesis.
It was observed during the workshops with industry
stakeholders that professionals are not attracted to pursue
masters because they have no opportunity to attend classes
in the university unless they resign from their jobs. They
are more encouraged to pursue higher degree if their thesis
is directly related to the company they are working with.
The number of students in the MS MetE is low. For the
past seven years, the average number of students taking MS
MetE was only five (5) per academic year.
ACTIONS TAKEN
There are challenges experienced by the mining and miner-
als industry, and the education sector. But despite these,
the government strives to promote responsible mineral
resource utilization in the country. The universities con-
tinue to improve their curriculum to keep breast with the
advances in the field of mineral processing and of metal-
lurgy in general, while maintaining focus on the needs of
the country. Through research projects funded either by
the government or the industry, stakeholders are educated
with the best practice in mineral processing. Universities
continue to promote the field of metallurgy by conducting
roadshows to senior high schools. This is not only to attract
enrollees to the BS MetE, but also to inform them of met-
allurgy in general. Mining companies are not only provid-
ing scholarships to students who are taking metallurgical or
mining engineering as well as geology, but also offering job
opportunities in their company after graduation.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The author would like to acknowledge the Department
of Mining, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering,
University of the Philippines Diliman, Engr. Leaniel
Silva and Dr. Vannie Joy Resabal from Mindanao State
University, Iligan Institute of Technology for sharing infor-
mation of their Metallurgical Engineering program, and
the Department of Science and Technology -PCIEERD.
REFERENCES
Fatalla, J. 2018. The 1996 Marcopper Mining Disaster
in Marinduque: Five Decades of Social Injustice and
Neglect. Anthropology 198 (Special Topics), University
of the Philippines Baguio.
MGB, 2023. Metallic production value remains robust
in 2023. (https://mgb.gov.ph/2015-05-13-02-02-11
/mgb-news/1513-metallic-production-value-remains
-robust-in-2023#:~:text=The%20country’s%20
metallic%20production%20value,84%20billion%20
or%207.28%25) Retrieved on 27 December 2023.
MGB, 2023. MSC: The Philippine mineral industry at
a glance. (https://mgb.gov.ph/2015-05-13-01-44-
56/2015-05-13-01-47-51/23-industry-statistics/1336
-msc-the-philippine-mineral-industry-at-a-glance)
Retrieved on 27 December 2023.
Department of Mining, Metallurgical and Materials
Engineering, University of the Philippines Diliman
(https://dmmme.coe.upd.edu.ph/programs/).
College of Engineering, Mindanao State University—Iligan
Institute of Technology (https://www.msuiit.edu.ph/
academics/colleges/coe/programs/)