Farmers, green groups want mining law repealed
MANILA, Philippines — Farmers and environmental groups on Friday called on the government to repeal the Philippine Mining Act of 1995, saying the legislation allowed the plunder of the country’s natural resources and displaced communities.
On the 28th anniversary of the signing of Republic Act 7942, groups held a protest in front of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in Quezon City.
Youth Advocates for Climate Action Philippines—the local chapter of the Fridays for Future movement led by climate activist Greta Thunberg—also staged school-based protest actions.
Environmental and grassroots organizations criticize the mining as “anti-people and anti-environment.” They stressed that large-scale extractive operations displace farmers and indigenous peoples, and destroy the environment.
“We demand the repeal of the Mining Act that allowed large-scale local and foreign mining companies to scrape and plunder our mountains, seabeds, and almost all of our natural resources,” said Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas chairperson Danilo Ramos.
KMP cited the Marcopper disaster that spilled mine tailings and toxic mine waste into Marinduque’s rivers, the Pantukan landslide that killed 25 miners in Compostela Valley, and the Philex-Padcal mining disaster that spilled toxic waste into Benguet’s bodies of water.
“Large-scale mining has been too costly for us. It is time to protect and preserve our lands and resources,” Ramos said.
The Mining Act of 1995 allows 100% foreign ownership of mining operations under a Financial or Technical Assistance Agreement (FTAA), attracting big mining companies to operate in the Philippines.
The law also provides incentives to prospective mining firms, including political rights, full ownership of land, and tax holidays.
Residents of Sibuyan Island in Romblon recently thwarted the activities of Altai Philippines Mining Corporation, which are feared to disrupt the intact ecosystems of the “Galapagos of Asia.” Residents of Brooke’s Point in Palawan, who are inspired by the victory of Sibuyanons, also set up a barricade to stop the operations of Ipilan Nickel Corporation.
Human rights and environmental groups from six countries including the Philippines on Thursday urged the government to shut down the mine of Australian-Canadian firm OceanaGold in Nueva Vizcaya, which scarred the lands of indigenous Tuwali people and polluted water systems there.
Revitalizing the mining sector—even though the industry only accounts for less than one percent of the country’s gross domestic product—is a priority of the Marcos administration.
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