In an act of unity, elders used Cordillera Day to call for an end to mining in the Cordillera region and safeguard their natural environment.

Below is an article written by Desiree Caluza and published by the Philippines Inquirer:

More than 50 elders in the Cordillera renewed a pact rejecting large-scale mining in tribal communities in the region, saying the industry would endanger the environment and displace indigenous peoples from their homelands.

The pact was signed in an elders’ caucus during the celebration of the 24th Cordillera Day here last month [April 2008].

“We want roads and infrastructures that will help us transport our agricultural products and support livelihood. We do not want mining that will destroy our livelihood,” said Ernesto Quinto, 57, a member of the Binongan tribe and chair of Baay Licuan Takderan Omnu a Karbengan.

The agreement was part of the seven-point “unity pact” forged before delegates of the Cordillera Day.

The elders said they were opposing the planned operations of Olympus Pacific Mines and wanted the firm to leave the people of Baay Licuan in peace. They said the Mining Act of 1995 had “legalized the plunder of resources of indigenous communities.”

Olympus Pacific Minerals, however, said it would not pursue mining operations in the town if the community would reject its entry, according to a statement e-mailed to the Inquirer by Emelita Fabro, the company’s public relations manager.

“Olympus Pacific Minerals is for progress and is not comfortable working in a chaotic environment where fear grips its employees. [The company] will only work in [an] area where the majority of the people welcome us as guests in their communities and appreciate the progress we can bring to them,” Fabro said.

Olympus stopped drilling operations in the town last year [2007] because of strong opposition from residents, Neoman de la Cruz, Cordillera director of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau, said.

Olympus signed a memorandum of agreement with its local partners, Abra Mining Industrial Corp. (Amic) and Jabel, on Nov. 23, 2006, for a proposed exploration of a 300-hectare area in Mt. Capcapo. Amic and Jabel have mining claims in Baay Licuan, through a mineral production and sharing agreement.

Before the elders endorsed the resolution against mining, they held a ritual called senga in Mt. Capcapo, where they spilled the blood of a butchered pig on areas where mining firms conducted drilling activities.

The elders said the ritual was meant to show the mining companies that the tribes owned the land “wounded” by their operations.

“Mt. Capcapo is a very high mountain, if mining is pursued in the area, our rice fields and houses would be submerged,” Quinto said.

Fabro said the drilling of eight holes on Capcapo was meant to verify the “very incomplete” geological records submitted by Amic and Jabel.

“If after drilling the confirmatory holes, Olympus finds out that the geological information provided to them by Amic and Jabel is not economically interesting, then Olympus will decide not to pursue a joint venture agreement. To this date, no joint venture agreement has been signed by either party,” Fabro said.

She said the company had agreed to seek the community’s “free prior and informed consent” for the project and was closely working with the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples.