View source for Responsible (?) Mining: A Discourse Analysis on the PR and Advertising Campaigns of Philex Mining Corporation

Relativo, J.B.E. & Urrutia III, M.C. (2013). Responsible (?) Mining; A Discourse Analysis on the
PR and Advertising Campaigns Philex Mining Corporation, Unpublished Undergraduate Thesis,
University of the Philippines College of Mass Communication.

This thesis examined the representations of mining related activities in Philex’s public relations and advertising (from September 2011 to December2012). Following the assassination of journalist and environmentalist Dr. Gerry Ortega, opposition towards destructive large-scale mining reached a new height in the Philippine setting. In order to nullify the sentiment drawn out by anti-mining advocates, Philex Mining Corporation came up with a media campaign that shall actively promote “responsible large-scale mining” to the public. However, as mining communities and cause-oriented groups continue to raise questions regarding their operations, doubts on the credibility of their PR and advertising were not uncommon. This study aims to answer the research question “How truthful was Philex in their public relations and advertising?” In order to answer this, the researchers utilized archival research, acquired research findings and case studies conducted by non-governmental organizations and existing online literature to draw a general picture of the conditions in Philex mines. Witnessing large disparities between the animated grandeur of their advertising and the independently gathered data, discourse analysis, semiotics, and Marxist political economy were used in making sense out of the information. The
study tried to establish how media owners like Manny Pangilinan (TV5) utilize their networks for the benefit of their other businesses. Further, this paper explored the persuasive elements that go into their PR and advertising, its ability to influence/distort our view of the mining situation, and the company’s motivation behind such undertaking.