Indigenous groups in the Philippines are facing increasing pressure under the Duterte government. They are losing their land, livelihood, and resources to extractive industries, illegal logging, and monocrop plantations among others.
The community of Didipio, Nueva Vizcaya, have been fighting to protect their land from the Canadian-Australian multinational Oceanagold, who operate gold and copper mining projects in the region. Oceanagold Philippines LTD’s permit to mine in the country expired in June 2019, yet the company is still seeking to restart its operations. Local community activists campaigning to keep the mine shut have received harsh treatment from the police and 15 have faced court action.
While Oceanagold is not a London based company, we want to express our support and solidarity with activists in the Philippines and their inspirational community resistance.
London Mining Network members The Society of St Columban are producing a 6 part podcast series called Jubilee for the Earth on biodiversity through the lens of Catholic Social Teaching. The podcast will feature voices from the struggle in Didipio.