ATM Statement on the 5th State of the Nation Address (SONA) of Pres. Bongbong Marcos, Jr.
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On this fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA), Alyansa Tigil Mina (ATM) registers its dismay over the wrongful and aggressive promotion of destructive mining by the administration of President Bongbong Marcos, Jr.
Without any public consultations, PBBM will approve a Critical Minerals Framework that paves the way for more mining, especially of nickel, copper, and cobalt. This Critical Minerals Framework has not been seen or reviewed by affected communities and environmental groups.
Despite reported environmental destruction, violations of laws and non-compliance to contractual obligations by mining companies, the government entered into an agreement with the United States to integrate Philippine mineral resources into the global high-tech supply chains in Pax Silica.
We are wary and apprehensive of the environmental impacts of Pax Silica. In addition, the planned AI data centers and manufacturing hubs in the New Clark City will require huge amounts of water and electricity, potentially depriving communities of these valuable resources. But beyond these concerns, trade and other issues also need to be addressed.
At the fundamental level, we do not have a clear Philippine Industrialization Plan that clearly establishes what minerals we need, how much we need, and when we need them. Opening up our mineral resources without these clear plans will only lead to plunder of our minerals and destruction of our forests and island ecosystems.
Government officials have been quick to defend Pax Silica against the alleged environmental issues raised but have provided no definitive, specific details. Like many other regulatory functions of government, Pax Silica supporters have very few specific mitigation measures to show.
We are also alarmed about the rampant tree-cutting in various parts of the country. From Quirino Avenue to protected areas in Palawan and Sibuyan Island, to the Samar Islands, to Surigao del Sur – permits to fell hundreds of thousands of trees have been indiscriminately granted. Tree-cutting has become so pervasive, it is already a national issue.
Furthermore, black sand mining and seabed quarrying activities are expanding, even in the absence of clear guidance from the government. Abusing their river dredging permits, mining companies undertake black sand mining and seabed quarrying, which damage marine ecosystems and coastal communities. We anticipate that approved offshore mining projects may soon start as the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) is slated to release the revised guidelines.
While we are cautiously optimistic that the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is open to dialogue and engagement with affected communities, we are deeply bothered by persistent policy gaps.
While the whole country is alarmed by the massive flood control project corruption and the impeachment of the Vice President, we must also raise the alarm about corruption in the mining industry. ATM has published a detailed study showing links between political dynasties and mining projects, revealing that powerful politicians and their families are beneficial owners of mining corporations. This connivance between political families and industrial elites fuels regulatory capture and the failure of government to effectively regulate the mining industry.
Insofar as the performance of their duties and responsibilities to ensure the human right to a safe and healthy environment and to uplift the lives of mining-affected communities, we give the following grades:
• DENR – a barely passing grade, with their openness to listen and dialogue with affected communities
• Mining Industry – dismal failing grade, with the numerous violations and abuse of rights of affected communities and its continued failure to follow permitting procedures
• PBBM – failing grade for aggressively promoting mining without a clear industrialization plan and failing to align environmental priorities to sustainable development and address climate change.
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