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Lumads gather to forge own agenda

Kailash — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 09:47:28 +0100

LANTAPAN, BUKIDNON—-Some 100 indigenous peoples (IP) leaders representing lumad communities all over the country gathered here to forge an IP Agenda for the newly inaugurated Aquino administration.

Dubbed as the State of the Indigenous Peoples Address (SIPA ’10 kicked off yesterday at the Hall of Peace, Sungco, Lantapan town, here in Bukidnon. The opening coincides with the first State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III.

Tribesmen burn mine equipment in Surigao Norte

Kailash — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 10:01:04 +0100

BUTUAN CITY, Philippines — Disgruntled members of the Mamanwa tribe torched mining equipment owned by the Taganito Mining Corp. (TMC) in Claver, Surigao del Norte, on Thursday, the police said Friday.

TMC is the largest nickel mining company in Claver.

Superintendent Ruben de los Santos, Surigao del Norte police chief, said the armed tribesmen, numbering around 30, stormed TMC’s mining site in Barangay (village) Urbiztondo and abducted two company guards at around 6 a.m.

De los Santos said the attackers had figured in a dispute with the management of TMC over mine claims.

Groups Hit DENR for Seeking Compromise on Controversial Mining Deal

Kailash — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 09:17:46 +0100

Manila — Various groups criticized the DENR today, for pushing for a compromise deal on the controversial Tampakan mining project in South Cotabato. Sec. Ramon Paje was quoted yesterday in major dailies, that the “DENR will protect the investment” in the threatened mining project. According to Paje, the marching order for him was to find a “win-win solution” to this issue. The Province of South Cotabato formalized its passage of its Environment Code last June 28, putting a ban on open pit mining. The local code has effectively put in limbo one of the largest mining project in the country.

Lumads end protest as DENR settles row

Kailash — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 20:43:54 +0100

BUTUAN CITY – The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has resolved its dispute with a group of 200 lumads after a five-hour dialogue last Tuesday that finally ended the protest rally at the DENR compound in Barangay Ambago, this city, officials said Thursday.

The lumads belonging to the different tribes of Mamanwa, Manobo and Higaonon under the “Diwata-Tricom-Yellow Force” held the rally to air their grievances on forestry and mining issues.

The dialogue between the protesting tribal group headed by the tribal consultant Victoriano Vidal and the DENR officials headed

Benguet folk to oppose mining operations

Kailash — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 20:11:03 +0100

KIBUNGAN, Benguet: Residents of a barangay in the town vowed over the weekend to oppose any mining operation in their area, fearing that such activities would adversely affect water sources used for farming and domestic needs. According to Oswaldo Paggayan, representative of residents of Kibungan town’s Barangay Palina, “our ancestors have opposed mining operations in the past and now we are still taking the same stand.”

Opposing petition

Paggayan referred to a petition submitted by residents against a planned mining exploration to be conducted by Da Gama Minerals Inc.

Indigenous body recalls mining order

Kailash — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 13:10:43 +0100

KIBUNGAN, Benguet: The battle has been lost but the war has not yet been won for Da Gama Minerals Inc. as the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) has recalled an earlier certification issued to the exploration company.

In a Philippine National Police-sponsored mining exploration between stakeholders in this town, held July 1, lawyer Alex Degiem, NCIP representative, informed the public that the earlier certification issued by the office has been recalled.

Stay order on mining project issued

Kailash — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 12:46:51 +0100

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – Civil society groups have obtained a restraining order against three mining firms involved in a project in Surigao del Norte province, the first issued under a legal instrument introduced by the Supreme Court.

Judge Evangeline Yuipco-Bayana of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 30 in Surigao City has issued a 20-day temporary environmental protection order (TEPO) after conducting a hearing a week ago against Manila Mining Corp., Kalayaan Copper Gold Resources and Silangan Mindanao Mining, Inc.

Solon urges stop to mining in ancestral domains

Kailash — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 13:03:17 +0100

Surigao City – Wary on mining firms which operate on lands covered by ancestral domain but did not pay royalty shares to the “lumads” or indigenous people who owned the same, Cong. Guillermo Romarate, Jr. recently said that he will seek for a congressional inquiry on the matter and will possibly recommend the revocation of mining permits to eventually stop the said mining operations when the 15th Philippine Congress convenes next month.

People of Bakun call for the protection of ancestral domains

Kailash — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 19:58:46 +0100

Australian mining company Royalco Resources Limited recently executed an options agreement with Brazilian mining giant Vale SA, for exploration and farming of copper opportunities in the northern Philippines district of Bakun. Indigenous peoples account for the majority of the district’s population.

Indigenous group Bakun Aywanan, or Defend and Nurture Bakun, has organised community resistance against large-scale mining in their municipality.

South Cotabato governor signs ban on open-pit mining

Kailash — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 17:57:31 +0100

GENERAL SANTOS CITY, Philippines — Religious and environment groups hailed outgoing Gov. Daisy Fuentes of South Cotabato for signing into law a local environment code, which banned open-pit mining in the province.

“Up to the last hour of her stay in office, Gov. Fuentes remains true to her promise to protect the environment and uphold the interest of the greater majority,” Fr.