Mankayan indigenous on warpath vs mining firm

MANKAYAN, Benguet — Residents from the Benguet villages of Bulalacao and Guinaoang set up a new barricade Monday to halt the impending operations of Crescent Mining and Development Corporation (CMDC).

The determined action is a direct response by the communities — comprised primarily of Kankanaey Indigenous Peoples and highland vegetable farmers — to what they call a continuous threat to their ancestral domain, prime agricultural lands, and vital water systems.

Residents are reaffirming their long-standing opposition to the renewal of CMDC’s Mineral Production Sharing Agreement as they argued that the renewal was granted illegally, without securing the Free, Prior, and Informed Consent mandated by the Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act.

“What will happen to our livelihood and the future of our children, grandchildren if the mine destroys our place?” lamented Bulalacao elder Gary Dulag, stressing they are standing guard for future generations.

Another elder, Darwin Badecao, said their vegetable farmlands are the source of their daily bread and contribute to the region’s food supply, adding that mining activities will inevitably destroy them.

A primary concern is the potential impact of the large-scale mining project on crucial water resources. The targeted area feeds their rice paddies and extensive vegetable gardens, and its local water system flows into the main tributaries of the Abra River, supplying water downstream to areas like Bauko, Mountain Province.

“The integrity of our water system is non-negotiable. It supports our entire way of life, from our crops to our health,” Punong Barangay Satur Anton of Bulalacao previously noted.

Tensions have heightened after reports that drilling equipment was stationed in nearby Guinaoang, despite strong community opposition.