The Philippines: Sacred land destroyed

Homes and lands have been destroyed by this open-pit mine in the Philippines. [Annie Bungeroth]

Mining for gold and other minerals in the Philippines has caused people to lose their homes, lands and livelihoods. But they are standing up for their rights

The island of Mindanao in the Philippines is rich in gold, silver, copper and nickel.

It is also home to the Subanon indigeneous people who have lived on the west of the island for hundreds of years.

In 2002, Canadian mining company TVI Pacific began operating a new open-cast mine on Mindanao.

Threat of force

Since then, local people have reported that their farmland has been bulldozed by the company without consent, warning or compensation.

In addition, some report that they have been threatened or violently forced to leave their homes.

Apolonia Bulagao, 74, some of whose farmland was bulldozed, says: “When I went to block the bulldozers the paramilitaries pointed a gun at me.

"I don’t want to move because we have some land here and my children’s land and farming is here. If TVI will stop its operations I will be happy."

Joy Gonzaga is a mother of three who sells bananas and jackfruit, with a husband who is a farmer. Part of her banana plantation has already been destroyed.

“TVI told us they’d pay us 600,000 pesos but we’ve said we won’t accept it. The trees are our main source of livelihood so what will we do?

“We’re uncertain how to manage that much money. I’m more certain if we have land that I can harvest. I don’t want to leave this area because my friends are here.

“I hope TVI will just leave us alone so that we can return to our livelihoods without disturbance.“

Worsening problem

The farmland is on Mount Canatuan, an area considered sacred by local Subanon indigenous people. Part of this mountain has now been destroyed by large-scale mining.

On paper, the Philippines gives its 12 million indigenous people extensive legal protection, including rights to approve or reject plans for any large-scale developments, such as mining, on their ancestral lands.

In practice, indigenous communities across the vast archipelago of more than 7,000 islands are seeing their land, livelihoods and sacred areas destroyed to make way for new mining developments.

The problem has got worse since 2005, when the Philippines government began a drive to attract foreign mining companies to exploit the country’s minerals.

As part of the Unearth Justice campaign, CAFOD partner organisations in the Philippines are helping indigenous communities exercise their constitutional right to give or withhold “free, prior and informed consent” for mining on their lands, as well as helping them relocate and re-build their livelihoods.

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