In the Land of Mine(s): The Struggle to Protect Our Land Against Large-Scale Mining

The Mindoro Nickel Project is said to be ambitious. With the company’s vision of “responsible mining with innovative exploration and development in focus”, Intex claimed that theirs is the most environmentally safe type of mining.

The company claimed that they will employ surface-near mining without blasting or employ open-pit mining and strip-mining. Immediate rehabilitation and reforestation shall be done after each mining activity. The mining concessions cover four major rivers responsible for the irrigation and water sheds in Mindoro Island. Mindoro Island, particularly, Occidental Mindoro is now the food basket of Region IV. Mining industry is seen as the key to economic development not only of the Philippines but many of our local leaders.

Resistance to Mining

Since 1997, the people resist mining activities in the province. The Rio-Tuba experience in Bataranzza, Palawan which is being mined by Rio Tuba Nickel Mining Corporation is also in its way both to economic and environmental destruction. The mining strategies in Rio Tuba will be replicated in Mindoro according to critics.

Because of massive anti-mining campaign, Mindoro is a hotspot, declaring an all-out offensive against the revolutionary movement including the activists. The Municipality of Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro unanimously passed Ordinance No. 2007-GO03B, prescribing a 25-year moratorium on mining activities. Besides, Mindoro is promoted not as a mining province but as a premier destination for eco-tourism.

1. Impact of Mining to Women

By opening our province to the mining companies, some job opportunities are created for our people.

Women are tied up with nature. Women first bear the negative impact of the so-called development.

Indeed mining can bring prosperity to the nation. Especially if the mines extracted from the land is utilized for industrialization and not for export wholly to highly-industrialized countries. For hundred of years, our country is mined yet we remain poor. The revitalization of the mining industry through the Mining Act of 1995 is seen as the key towards industrialization and countryside development. Mining is not only a social but a theological issue. Coincidentally, the top-brass in Intex and other mining concessionaires applying in Mindoro are all men!

Minerals that are mined do not benefit the people of the land, but are taken out of the country. Will the poor people of my land benefit from it? Will the mining industry in Mindoro save the starving child of a Mangyan or free our country from debt?

Minerals like copper, nickel, gold and iron are non-renewable resources. The stewardship of the earth is our responsibility; women and men alike. God placed us in a Garden known as Mindoro. If we let Intex and other mining companies to exploit our lands, we are liable first to the Creator and to our children. Until the Mining Act of 1995 is scrapped the people must remain vigilant to protect our land. The women of the organization used informal way during the massive anti-mining campaigns. Years after our anti-mining activities, we are again gaining ground. The people of Mindoro, particularly the women is not against mining. What we are against is the intrusion of foreign mining companies to plunder our minerals. We are against large-scale mining because of its sure damage to the environment and the people.

Mindorenos in particular and the Filipino people in general want sustainable mining – a mining industry that will benefit the majority of the people and will help bring abut a more humane and prosperous society.