About the project
In the upland and coastal localities of the Province of Negros Occidental on Negros Island, in the Western Visayas Region of the Philippines, local communities are resisting a new wave of mining projects. In recent years, at least 17 applications for coastal mining exploration have been filed with the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB).
These include applications from Filipino and international companies and their subsidiaries (such as Philex Mining; Maricalum Mining Corporation (MMC); Terra Dev; Tambuli Mining), seeking to extract magnetite (black sand) and palladium deposits along the island’s coastline.
Coastal communities are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of mining, as their livelihoods depend on marine and coastal resources that would be severely impacted by coastal and offshore mining activities.
Beyond environmental degradation, these communities face broader human rights concerns, including the loss of livelihood, reduced access to natural resources, and limited participation in decisions affecting their lands and waters. Women, youth, and children are especially vulnerable to the long-term social and economic consequences of these developments.
About the community-led struggle
The CRE has supported the activities of the newly established Negros Anti-Mining Alliance (NAMA), a network of approximately 15 organizations composed of environmental groups, fisherfolk organizations, non-governmental organizations, and the Dioceses of Bacolod and San Carlos.
NAMA has been convening its members, partners, and stakeholders through strategic planning meetings, capacity-building workshops, conferences, and forums. These activities have strengthened coordination among fisherfolk communities, farmers, civil society organizations, and religious groups, enabling them to develop joint strategies to respond to the threats posed by proposed mining projects.
NAMA also conducted community meetings, area visits, and training sessions that increased the awareness, knowledge, and advocacy skills of small-scale fishers and coastal communities regarding the environmental and social impacts of coastal and offshore mining. Technical inputs and educational materials provided by the Alyansa Tigil Mina (ATM) and other civil society advocates further strengthened these efforts.
To amplify community concerns, NAMA actively engaged local and national media, helping raise public awareness of the potential impacts of mining on coastal ecosystems and local livelihoods.
The CRE also supported the participation of NAMA Project Coordinator at the UN Forum held at the United Nations Centre in Bangkok, Thailand. The forum brought together representatives from governments, businesses, civil society, and people’s movements across the Asia-Pacific region to discuss human rights challenges faced by marginalized communities, minorities, and Indigenous Peoples in the context of extractive industries and other large-scale business activities. Through this participation, he gained valuable insights into international strategies for promoting corporate accountability, human rights due diligence, and community-led advocacy against harmful resource extraction.