Abra's Masadiit Tribe firm against mining

SALLAPADAN, Abra — Members of the Masadiit Tribe and residents of all nine barangays in the municipality of Sallapadan have voted against a mining exploration application submitted by Yamang Mineral Corporation (YMC).

The decision was reached during the 8 April Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) process, a legal requirement for any project affecting ancestral domains and indigenous lands, where the three remaining barangays of Bazar, Sal-lapadan Barrio, and Ud-udiao finalized the rejection, following the earlier opposition of the six other barangays.

The unanimous rejection prevents the corporation from moving forward with its exploration activities in the region.

Initial opposition began in the barangays of Bilabila, Saccaang, and Naguilian before spreading to the rest of the municipality. The National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) facilitated the consultations that led to the formal manifestation of the rejection.

Local residents identified environmental protection and the preservation of agricultural livelihoods as the primary reasons for their opposition. The community expressed a preference for maintaining farming-based economic activities rather than allowing large-scale mining operations.

Sallapadan Mayor Aldrin Semanero, a member of the Masadiit Tribe, stated that the community’s decision must be respected. He noted that the unanimous consensus among the barangays clearly defines the local position on extractive industries within their territory.

The development highlights the necessity of securing community consent for resource projects in culturally protected areas.