BAGUIO CITY -- In a statement, the Save Apayao People's Organization (SAPO) expressed strong opposition to the renewed presence of mining companies in the municipality of Conner, Apayao.

The group stated that representatives from a firm called Copper Fields have begun holding meetings and consultations with local village officials. According to the organization, these activities are tied to Exploration Permit Application Number (EPA) 002 covering roughly 14,256 hectares in the municipality under Greenwater Mining Corporation and Copper Fields. 

SAPO linked the recent corporate activity to the national government's recent announcement of a $1.9 billion  mining investment commitment from Canada. Residents expressed concern that the national push for mining investments will lead to the expansion of extractive projects into local forests, agricultural lands, and ancestral domains. 

The organization referenced a history of local resistance in Conner, noting that residents successfully opposed operations by Anglo American plc and related river dredging activities in 2005.

SAPO also highlighted government data from the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB)  Cordillera  which conducted geological mapping in Barangay Talifugo between 2020 and 2021. The bureau's study covered 6,500 hectares and identified substantial gold and copper potential across 13 distinct rock formations. 

While the government viewed these findings as economic potential, the group stressed that mining operations threaten to displace indigenous communities, damage watersheds, and destroy traditional livelihoods.

SAPO called for full transparency regarding all active mining applications, genuine consultations with indigenous communities, and strict protection for local ecosystems. The group urged farmers, youth, women, and local officials across the Cordillera region to organize and oppose large-scale corporate mining projects in their ancestral lands.