Bishop Jose Elmer Mangalinao of Bayombong has urged President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to block large-scale mining operations that he said threaten the environment and communities of Nueva Vizcaya.
“We are appealing to the president… Let us not give big companies the opportunity to continue destroying Nueva Vizcaya,” Mangalinao said.
The appeal came in a video message during his Nov. 14 visit to a remote village in Dupax del Norte, where residents have set up a barricade to block a mining project.
He said villagers have left their livelihoods for weeks to guard their land, motivated not by profit but by a desire to protect life and nature.
“There is no question of money. There’s no question of profit. But simply to desire to protect the environment, livelihood, and life,” Mangalinao said.
The bishop warned that 14 more mining firms are seeking entry into Nueva Vizcaya alone, while more than 60 companies have expressed interest across Region 2.
He also stressed the urgency to protect the environment, citing recent disasters that have struck communities across the nation.
“May our hearts and minds awaken to realize we do not need to destroy the environment to survive,” Mangalinao added.
In August, the government’s Mines and Geosciences Bureau granted Woggle Corp. an exploration permit for 3,100 hectares in Dupax del Norte, reportedly targeting gold and copper deposits.
The company, an affiliate of British mining firm Metals Exploration Plc., already operates in the province through another subsidiary, FCF Minerals, which runs a gold-molybdenum mine.
The diocese also raised concerns over expansion plans by Canadian-Australian miner OceanaGold in Kasibu town.
