Vizcaya tribal folk endorse mineral exploration

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya , Philippines  – Members of the Bugkalot tribe and residents of Yabbi, a remote mountain town in Dupax del Norte this province, have endorsed a mineral exploration project in their area.

At least 126 Bugkalot tribal elders, family heads and other community leaders signed a document formally expressing their approval of the project by Buena Suerte Mining Corp. during a consensus-building activity last week.

The National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) assisted in the activity.

The document, written in the Iluko language, stated that the “Bugkalots and migrants are in agreement that no voting need be conducted (on the exploration project) since we are all” in total agreement with the project proponents.

Through Buena Suerte, Australian firm Royalco Philippines (formerly known as Oxiana Philippines), earlier had applied for a 3,600-hectare exploration project in Yabbi and adjacent villages with the Mines and Geosciences Bureau.

Royalco officials said NCIP officials witnessed the consensus-building activity, which fulfilled a project pre-requisite of obtaining the residents’ prior and informed consent.

The firm has an existing government permit to conduct an exploration project in the Pao-Kakiduguen area in Kasibu town.

The Pao-Kakiduguen exploration, however, has been suspended after migrant settlers and the Catholic Church opposed it, saying they had not been consulted about the project although some Bugkalot elders had approved it. The area is part of the Bugkalot tribe’s ancestral domain claim.

Church officials, led by Bayombong Bishop Ramon Villena, and environmental groups have been denouncing government-sanctioned exploration and mining activities in the area, claiming these were anti-people and anti-environment.

Anti-mining advocates also said the process of getting the consent of affected villagers has been railroaded to favor the entry of national government-sanctioned exploration and mining activities in the province.      – Charlie Lagasca