Abra villagers seek truth over NCIP, MGB okay of commercial mining on their ancestral land

BAGUIO CITY (November 4, 2024)— Sal-lapadan, Abra villagers led by their Mayor are seeking the truth why the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) and the Mines and Geosciences Bureau of the Department Environment and Natural Resources (MGB-DENR) had permitted a commercial mining operation in their ancestral land without their consent.



Sallapadan Mayor Fernando Alafriz Semanero in his November 4, 2024 letter to the NCIP-Cordillera, NCIP Abra, MGB Cordillera and the DENR Abra, he aired the concerns of his own people regarding the issued Authority to Verify Minerals (ATVM) to Yamang Mineral Corporation (YMC) along barangay Manicbel in the town.

Villagers should be consulted first and their consent be required before any mining activities be introduced in (our) ancestral territory, villagers said.

“Following the grant of ATVM to YMC, there is a significant number of members from the indigenous people (IP) or indigenous cultural community (ICC) not only from the affected areas of Sal-lapadan, but also from the rest of the barangays in the Municipality who are now airing their concerns and disapproval of mining in of Sal-padan," Semanero said.

He stressed that as the municipality's highest leader and as an IP himself, it is his duty to air the sentiments of his people and bring it to the attention of concerned agencies.

IPs and the ICC of Sal-lapadan seek to suspend the ATVM awarded to YMC since they did not coordinate with the NCIP and comply NCIP Administrative Order No. 3 series of 2012 or The Revised Guidelines on the Exercise of FPIC and Related Processes, the town mayor explained.

The mayor also revealed that prior to the issuance of the MGB of ATVM to YMC, the IPs or ICC observed that the company already performed certain activities without their consent. He said that because of this, the people cannot help but question the intentions and methods of YMC. 

Semanero stressed that people should be consulted and their consent be sought to avoid conflicts and misunderstanding between the IPs and the ICCs and the company.

“We are praying to the mighty Kabunyan that your good office will heed to our plea and help us the ICCs/IPs protect our rights and the sacred lands we have inherited from our ancestors," the mayor appealed.

Only last October 31, 2024, YMC, a sibsidiary of London-based FCF Minerals Corp. announced it has received final approval for it exploration drilling activities in Manicbel.

FCF has an existing metals exploration operations in Runruno, Quezon, Nueva Vizcaya

The Manicbel project covers Licuan-Baay and Lacub towns in Abra. Its tenement area, with a strike length of approximately 20 kilometers, covers an area of 16,200 hectares.

It has completed reportedly completed pre-exploration activities, including geochemical soil analysis, mapping and airborne geophysics in Manicbel.ducer in the Philippines, is set to undertake another drilling exploration project at Abra tenements after securing approval from Philippine authorities.

The firm added that drilling will start within the next three weeks when the drill pads and other pre-drilling activities are completed.

A second diamond drill rig has also been prepared and is ready to mobilize subject to confirmation of mineralization and a decision to extend the drill program.

FCF also claimed before the year-end, it is planning four initial drill holes with the aim to complete this drilling program," the company said, adding that the drill program's objective beyond the identification of mineralization is to compile an initial resource estimate by the third quarter of 2025.

Despite Mayor Semanero’s and the villagers opposition however, FCF claimed they have already obtained community support.