Anti-mining group urges replacing Mining Act with AMMB

By Joseph Bernard A. Marzan

QUEZON CITY—An environmental coalition is pushing for the passage of a proposed law to replace the country’s decades-old mining policy, citing the need for stronger environmental safeguards and climate action.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, April 22, the Alyansa Tigil Mina (ATM) called on the Philippine government to prioritize the Alternative Minerals Management Bill (AMMB) and repeal Republic Act No. 7942 (Philippine Mining Act of 1995), which it described as flawed.

ATM made the call in line with the observance of Earth Day, emphasizing the need to rationalize mining practices to support national development while protecting communities affected by extractive activities.

“Measures to address the climate crisis and ensure the survival of the planet should include reforms in the government’s policies on large-scale mining. Mining in many communities today is causing environmental degradation, worsening the impacts of climate change, and endangering the lives and livelihoods of the people,” said ATM national coordinator Jaybee Garganera.

Garganera said a new law is necessary to ensure that the country’s mineral resources benefit Filipinos, particularly as demand rises with the global transition to renewable energy.

“It is unjust that other countries benefit from our minerals while our communities suffer from the destruction caused by mining,” he added.

The group said the proposed AMMB seeks to establish “no-go zones” for mining in critical areas, including watersheds, key biodiversity sites, disaster-prone locations, prime agricultural lands and forests.

It also aims to strengthen the rights of indigenous peoples to self-determination and ensure greater participation of local communities in decisions involving mining projects.

“A just energy transition entails replacing the Mining Act with the AMMB. This is a concrete climate action that the government must urgently undertake towards nation-building and the wise and discriminating use of our minerals and natural resources,” Garganera said.

ATM also urged the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to act on the concerns of communities opposing mining operations in several areas across the country.

These include Dupax del Norte in Nueva Vizcaya, Manicani Island and Homonhon Island in Eastern Samar, MacArthur in Leyte, and Sibuyan Island in Romblon, where residents have reportedly set up barricades against mining activities.

“These communities are calling for a halt to mining operations and the cancellation of mining contracts in their respective areas. Earth Day is a timely reminder to the DENR to act on the residents’ demands and to make erring mining companies accountable for their violations and breaches,” Garganera said.

The AMMB has been proposed by environmental and civil society groups as an alternative framework to govern mineral resource development, amid longstanding criticism of the 1995 law for prioritizing large-scale extraction over environmental protection and community welfare.