Lepanto, workers’ union sign 31st CBA in record-fast negotiations

Lepanto mining officials and LLEU leaders witnessed by DOLE and NCMB reps forge the 31st Collective Bargaining Agreement on Thursday noon, after less than 3 hours of negotiations, perhaps the fastest CBA negotiations in the 90 years of Lepanto and touted as perhaps the fastest CBA negotiations ever in the whole country. (Artemio A. Dumlao photo/October 1, 2026)

The Lepanto Consolidated Mining Company (LCMC) and the Lepanto Local Employees Union (LLEU) have signed their 31st Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) at the Baguio Country Club Thursday noon, with both labor and management officials describing the negotiations that only took less than three hours to successfully conclude as among the fastest in the company’s history. 



Rolando Ursua, management services manager of the Lepanto Mine Division (LMD), hailed the agreement as “one of the best CBA crafted” in less than three hours.

The LLEU, which represents 19 employees, was recognized by labor officials for helping maintain harmonious relations between the company and its workforce. Aris Sauro, representing the Department of Labor and Employment in the Cordillera, thanked both sides “for maintaining industrial peace for both labor and management,” emphasizing the importance of cooperation in sustaining productive labor-management relations.

Maggie Balagtey, supervising labor officer, read a message from National Conciliation and Mediation Board-Cordillera Regional Director Atty. Ronda T. Doctor-Malimban, who said the CBA signifies cooperation and mutual respect between the parties. 

LLEU president Johny Bayubay acknowledged that the two sides “did not agree on everything at first,” but said they shared an important goal—to secure a strong and stable agreement for every worker. He said the agreement was ultimately a product of mutual respect between labor and management. 

LCMC Senior Vice President Jose Knestor Godino likewise noted that the company has moved away from negotiations that previously took days to complete, crediting the labor-management council for helping fast-track the process. “We are family,” Godino said, adding that Lepanto’s 90th anniversary represents “90 years of partnership and 90 years of progress.”

LLEU adviser and lawyer Mauricio Domogan, a Baguio lawmaker, described the negotiations as “one of the fastest” not only at LCMC but also compared with other companies in the country. He likened the process to a husband and wife who “effortlessly unite,” while stressing that delays in negotiations can postpone the delivery of benefits intended for workers.

LCMC president and CEO Bryan Yap said the CBA reflects trust, cooperation, dialogue, understanding and unity between the company and its workforce. He said LCMC has consistently regarded its employees and union officers as partners in balancing workers’ aspirations with the responsibilities and needs of the company, expressing confidence that the agreement’s provisions and commitments would be implemented for the welfare of employees and the continued growth of the firm.

Yap called on both labor and management to continue working together, communicating openly and respecting one another as they move forward as one community. 

The signing comes as Lepanto marks its 90th year since its establishment on Sept. 21, a milestone that places the mining company among the country’s longest-operating copper-gold mining firms.