Why was the Alyansa Tigil Mina formed?

The Alyansa Tigil Mina was born out of the collective concern of Non-Government Organizations, People's Organizations and other Civil Society Groups against the impending threat of the revitalization of the mining industry in the Philippines. In mid-2004, NGOs/ POs, decided to disengage  from a series of consultations convened by the DENR regarding the revitalization of the mining industry.

An assessment of the situation with the aid of Indigenous Peoples support organizations and anti-mining advocates, the decision was made that a watchdog-type organization was needed, much like the Bantay-Mina coalition of the late 1990s.

Specifically, the group was worried that the pro-mining machineries (the industry itself, media and the government and its agencies) were gaining ground in the promotion of mining as their claims, and roadshows and promotional materials were passing without challenge.

Alyansa Tigil Mina became the challenge to the official line of thinking about mining.