‘SAVE YOUR BIRTHPLACE’: Antique Alliance Seeks 50-Year Mining Ban in Province

By Juliane Judilla

SAN JOSE DE BUENAVISTA, Antique – AMLIG Antique Alliance, a coalition of religious groups, environmental advocates and civil society organizations, filed a petition Wednesday before the Antique Provincial Board seeking a 50-year moratorium on mining to preserve the province’s ecological and cultural heritage.

The petition was led by Bishop Marvyn Maceda of the Roman Catholic Diocese and Bishop Leon Estrella of the Iglesia Filipina Independiente, with support from more than 40 representatives from faith-based groups, academia, non-government and civil society organizations, and farmers’, fisherfolk and youth groups.

It targets two main concerns: the proposed declaration by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau Western Visayas of a 3,715-hectare mineral reservation in the upland towns of Patnongon, San Remigio, Valderrama and Sibalom; and several pending mining applications covering 53,000 hectares across 13 municipalities in mainland Antique.

AMLIG called on newly appointed Environment Secretary Raphael Lotilla, a native of Sibalom, to protect his home province by rejecting the proposal.

The group raised concerns about industry influence following the Chamber of Mines of the Philippines’ public endorsement of Lotilla’s appointment.

“As stewards of God’s creation, we appeal to Secretary Lotilla’s conscience—because the blood of Sibalom runs in his veins,” said Rev. Fr. Edione Febrero, an AMLIG leader.

“He must reject the proposed mineral reserve and mining applications in the mountains of Antique,” he added.

The call came after the Supreme Court nullified the 25-year mining moratorium issued by Occidental Mindoro and the municipality of Abra de Ilog, a decision the alliance said should not be applied to Antique.

“While we are deeply concerned about the Supreme Court’s decision nullifying the moratorium in Mindoro for being too broad, this ruling cannot be indiscriminately applied here,” said Atty. Rolly O. Pedrina, AMLIG spokesperson.

“Antique’s steep terrain and rich biodiversity make mining particularly hazardous; a single landslide could devastate entire communities,” he said.

Antique is home to endangered species like the Dulungan hornbill and Visayan spotted deer, and its watersheds provide drinking and irrigation water for about 600,000 residents.

The province is also the ancestral homeland of the Ati and Iraynon Bukidnon peoples, whose communities face risks such as environmental pollution, health hazards and displacement due to mining.

The alliance urged the public to sign the petition at https://www.change.org/NoToMiningInAntique and remain vigilant against the proposed mineral reservation.