MANILA – Indigenous Peoples and environmental groups trooped to the offices of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) on Tuesday, July 14 following the recent mining exploration activities of the North Luzon Mineral Resource Corporation (NLMRC) in Kasibu, Nueva Vizcaya.

The community set up a barricade last May 8, 2026 in barangay Pao, Kasibu to halt the 4,456 hectare mining exploration project of NLMRC who dubiously obtained an exploration permit last year. The community pushed back and asserted their right to land and filed a cancellation of its permit with the MGB to permanently stop its operations.

Communities in Nueva Vizcaya are no strangers to foreign companies seeking to extract critical minerals, such as copper and gold. Community members shared that the NLMRC have begun trenching operations in the area, infringing on the Indigenous Peoples right to free, prior and informed consent. They also pointed out that they are still affected by the Didipio Gold-Copper Project, which poisoned their rivers and displaced livelihoods.

The Alyansa ng Novo Vizcayano para sa Kalikasan also condemned Canadian-Based OceanaGold’s planned $1.9B investment to expand and extend the operations of the Didipio Gold-Copper Project until 2037.

In a statement, the group said that residents of Kasibu and Dupax del Norte continue to stage barricades to oppose the mining exploration activities of the North Luzon Mineral Resources Corporation and Woggle Corporation.

People of Didipio also protested against the Didipio Gold-Copper Project because of the destruction it brought to the people such as the eviction of communities, landslides resulting from deforestation, and the destruction of agricultural resources.

Environmentalists also renewed calls to abolish the Philippine Mining Act of 1995 saying that it only enables foreign corporations to plunder the country’s natural resources. They likewise opposed the Pax Silica Initiative which they suspect will use the critical minerals for foreign-interests.

The people of Nueva Vizcaya affirmed their determination to keep the barricade up and to continue to fight back against the plundering of their lands and livelihoods.  (AMU, RTS)

Text and photos by Viggo Sarmago

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