Manila: Senator Francis Pangilinan has filed a resolution seeking a Senate investigation into the issuance of an exploration permit that allowed mining activities in Dupax del Norte, Nueva Vizcaya. Pangilinan's move comes amid rising concerns over environmental safeguards, public consultation, and the protection of ancestral and community rights.
According to Philippines News Agency, Senate Resolution No. 284 aims to review the grant of an exploration permit to assess whether it complies with environmental standards, public consultation requirements, and the Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) requirements. The resolution highlights reported violations of environmental and procedural rules and questions the roles of national and local government agencies in enforcing their responsibilities.
The exploration permit in question, issued in August 2025, allows Woggle Corporation, an affiliate of FCF Minerals Corporation, to conduct gold and copper exploration over approximately 3,100 hectares of land in the region. The Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Nueva Vizcaya has requested the cancellation of the permit due to environmental concerns, supported by councils from Barangays Oyao, Bitnong, Inaban, Munguia, and other communities.
Residents have expressed fears that mining activities could cause irreversible environmental damage, affect crops, and contaminate water sources. Farmers are particularly worried about the potential impact on their rice fields, with reports of a river used for irrigation beginning to emit a foul smell and threatening to dry up.
In response to the mining activities, local residents and indigenous groups have established barricades along roads leading to the exploration sites. However, a temporary restraining order from a regional trial court in October 2025 prohibited these road blockades, leading to confrontations and the removal of community barricades. Reports indicate that some residents fainted during these incidents.
