Protesters demand accountability from destructive mining tainted with corruption
- Alyansa Tigil Mina
- 1 minute ago
- 3 min read
Environmental and human rights groups marched to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) today to demand accountability from government officials and mining corporations for the destructive large-scale mining operations in local communities.
Jaybee Garganera, National Coordinator of Alyansa Tigil Mina (ATM), said “Despite the environmental destruction and human rights violations, large-scale mining is aggressively being pursued by political dynasties with beneficial ownership in mining companies and who are also the same ones implicated in the flood control corruption. Yet, the DENR continues to allow their mining operations, even when communities strongly object to these projects,” he added.
ATM’s 2024 study on beneficial ownership of mining companies has revealed that the Romualdez family has significant stakes or strong links in some mining firms, including Benguet Corporation, Marcventures Mining and Development Corporation (MMDC) and Brightgreen Resources Corporation (BRC). Other politicians with links to mining include the Villars and Gatchalians.
The protest action is part of the “Mining Hell Week” led by ATM to surface the impacts of mining and the various issues around it. Other creative actions are also being undertaken in several Sites of Struggles (SoS) all over the country during the week-long event.
To highlight their demands for accountability, the protestors dramatized the arrest and jailing of three impersonators with crocodile heads representing greedy political dynasties, corrupt DENR officials and profit-hungry mining corporations. “All these entities connive to impose mining projects that destroy and pollute natural resources, and deprive community residents of their livelihoods – all for the sake of money.”
Elizabeth Ibañez of Sibuyanons Against Mining (SAM) spoke about the illegal mining operations in Sibuyan Island, Romblon, known as the Galapagos of Asia because of its rich biodiversity. “Mining continues despite the lack of permits and violations of the mining company. We cannot comprehend how the DENR has failed to act on our petition for the cancellation of the mining contract of Altai Philippines Mining Corporation (APMC).”
Meanwhile, Florentino E. Daynos ll of Dupax del Norte, lambasted the mining exploration of Woggle Corporation in their area due to the lack of genuine consultations as mandated by the law specified in Sec. 26 of RA 7160 which states mandatory prior consultations.
“We have set-up a barricade to assert our objection to mining operations and to demand the revocation of Woggle’s permit. It is unthinkable Woggle Corporation was granted a permit when the area being explored is a watershed.”
He stated that they learned that PENRO ‘s assessment revealed that the area is a watershed, thus not possible for mining. “Eventually, however, DENR Region 2 gave a go- signal and the assessment of DENR-PENRO was set aside,” he said.
According to Daynos, trees were uprooted and tree-cutting continues despite the suspension order against the cutting of trees. “We call on the DENR to act on our demands by seriously investigating the violations committed by the mining company,” he said.
On the other hand, energy transition advocacy groups supported the protest action, raising alarm over a new advisory issued by the Department of Energy (DOE) which creates exemptions from the 2020 coal moratorium for new own-use coal projects that will be used to power mining and processing operations for critical minerals.
“With the new advisory, the government is encouraging both new coal and more mining — a policy direction that threatens very lives of Filipino communities. The energy transition needs not come at the cost of our people’s lives and livelihoods. Scientific analyses already state that we need no new mines for a renewable energy transition aligned to the 1.5C goal of the Paris Agreement, and that a coal phaseout can and must happen in the next decade. Mining and coal only exacerbate the climate vulnerabilities and pollution suffered by our people,” said Gerry Arances, Convenor of the Power for People Coalition (P4P).
At the tail-end of the protest action, the demonstrators also tied white ribbons at the DENR gates and held a noise barrage in solidarity with the White Friday protests against corruption.
