Mineral Reserve Declaration Threatens Antique Upland Towns

By Rjay Zuriaga Castor

The province of Antique faces the risk of potential mining activities as the Mines and Geosciences Bureau Western Visayas (MGB-6) moves to declare four upland towns as mineral reservations, a designation that allows for further exploration and development.

MGB-6 has proposed a 7,000-hectare mineral reservation covering the mountainous regions of Patnongon, San Remigio, Valderrama, and Sibalom due to significant deposits of copper, gold, chromite, and silver.

A mineral reservation is defined as a site containing strategic mineral resources essential for the country’s economic and industrial development, as well as for scientific, cultural, or ecological purposes.

According to MGB-6, the declaration of a mineral reservation aims to preserve strategic raw materials critical for national development, protect certain minerals for their scientific, cultural, or ecological value, and promote the orderly development and utilization of mineral resources.

The proposed mineral reservation comes as there are pending applications for mineral exploration. Government data show one Financial or Technical Assistance Agreement (FTAA) and 12 Exploration Permit (EP) applications covering the same towns.

The FTAA is intended for large-scale exploration, development, and utilization of mineral resources. It allows foreign corporations to engage in mining activities in the country, provided they meet specific investment commitments and other regulatory requirements.

Meanwhile, an Exploration Permit (EP) is issued by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), allowing a corporation to conduct exploration activities in a designated area. This permit is crucial for identifying economically and technically feasible mineral deposits for future mining operations.

An EP can be converted into a Mineral Production Sharing Agreement (MPSA) or an FTAA if exploration results prove to be promising.

ENVIRONMENTAL, ECONOMIC, SOCIAL CONCERNS

The proposal has drawn strong opposition from a coalition of civil society organizations, churches, non-government organizations, and community leaders in Antique, who warned of severe environmental, social, and economic repercussions.

In a position paper submitted to MGB-6, the groups argued that the declaration of a mineral reservation poses significant risks to the province.

While the designation does not immediately authorize mining, they emphasized that it effectively sets the area aside exclusively for mining purposes, paving the way for potential large-scale extraction projects.

“Mining operations in this sensitive mountain ecosystem could exacerbate disasters like landslides and flash floods, threaten Antique’s agricultural sector, disrupt the local economy, and impact downstream communities dependent on these life-sustaining resources,” the coalition stated.

The proposed mineral reservation overlaps with the Sibalom River Watershed and Sibalom Natural Park, raising further concerns about environmental degradation.

The Sibalom River Watershed supplies drinking water to the four affected towns and provides irrigation to Sibalom, known as Antique’s rice granary.

Meanwhile, Sibalom Natural Park, part of the watershed, is a declared protected area covering 5,511.47 hectares. It was established as a natural park on April 23, 2000.

The watershed is considered one of the last remaining lowland rainforests on Panay Island, providing crucial habitat for endemic and endangered species such as the Visayan warty pig, Visayan spotted deer, and Rafflesia speciosa, the world’s largest flower.

“Mining operations—whether through pollution, sedimentation, or water diversion—would degrade water quality and reduce water flow, impacting the livelihoods of thousands who depend on this watershed, either directly through farming or in towns that rely on it for sustenance,” the groups stated.

They also cited the devastating impacts of past typhoons Paeng (2022) and Frank (2008) in Antique, warning that mining activities could further weaken the province’s already vulnerable environment.

“These calamities serve as a stark reminder of the consequences when fragile mountain ecosystems are degraded,” they added.

A THREAT TO SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

The groups emphasized that mining contradicts the local government’s push for sustainable development through ecotourism.

“Beyond its environmental toll, mining diminishes long-term opportunities for sustainable development, undermining the vision of a thriving, ecologically balanced future for Antique,” they said.

Should mining proceed, the groups warned that communities near the affected areas may face severe health and livelihood risks due to exposure to toxic chemicals such as cyanide, mercury, and sulfuric acid—substances commonly used in mining operations.

LESSONS FROM THE PAST

Concerns over mining’s economic impact are also rooted in the history of mining operations across the country.

The groups cited the Tampakan Copper-Gold Project and the Marcopper disaster as key examples that highlight the urgent need for responsible mining practices and comprehensive environmental assessments to mitigate the risks of mining in ecologically sensitive areas.

“Communities are deeply concerned about repeating this history—where natural resources are exploited with minimal economic returns to locals, who instead bear the health and environmental costs of mining activities,” they said.

They also referenced the Environmental Justice Atlas report, which found that less than 1% of mine sites in the Philippines have undergone proper environmental rehabilitation, leaving communities to deal with pollution and degraded land.

Additionally, they cited a 2021 study that found over 70% of mining violations in the Philippines went unpenalized due to poor oversight and corporate influence.

PUBLIC HEARING QUESTIONED

The groups also questioned the validity and inclusiveness of the public hearing conducted by MGB-6 in San Remigio on Nov. 26, 2024, citing the exclusion of representatives from civil society organizations and other potentially affected communities.

They stressed that the hearing seemed more like a promotional campaign, highlighting only the potential benefits of mining while failing to present its environmental, social, and economic risks.

“By denying these communities the opportunity to voice their concerns, the MGB compromised the hearing’s integrity and undermined its legitimacy,” the groups said.

MGB-6 also held public hearings in Sibalom on Nov. 15, 2024, and in Patnongon on Dec. 5, 2024.

MINING OPERATIONS IN ANTIQUE

As of 2023, MGB-6 stated that Antique has no operating large-scale mining permits aside from Semirara Mining and Power Corporation (SMPC). All other firms remain in the exploration stage.

With its abundant water resources from the mountains, the province also has existing small-scale mining and quarry operations focused on non-metallic commodities such as sand, gravel, marble, limestone, and silica.

The Tudor Mineral Exploration Corporation and Far East Cement Corporation are currently in the exploration stage, assessing marble and limestone deposits in Libertad, Antique.

Meanwhile, Semirara Mining and Power Corporation (SMPC), a subsidiary of DMCI Holdings, operates the largest coal mine in the Philippines on Semirara Island, Antique.

In March 2022, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) approved the transfer of SMPC’s Mineral Production Sharing Agreement (MPSA) to Semirara Materials and Resources, Inc., allowing the latter to begin commercial limestone production.

The Institute of Contemporary Economics (ICE), an independent think tank based in Iloilo City, warned that coal depletion and the global shift to renewable energy pose significant threats to Antique’s economic stability.

It further cautioned that the loss of revenue from SMPC would leave the province financially vulnerable in the long run.

The ICE stressed the urgency for Antique to diversify its economy to prevent an economic downturn once coal reserves are depleted.

The think tank suggested expanding agriculture through investments in infrastructure, technology, and training, leveraging the province’s natural and cultural resources, and creating a sovereign wealth fund from mining royalties to support sustainable industries.