Palawan bishops launch petition for mining ban on island

BALD SPOT The once dense forest of Sofronio Española town in Palawan reveals a bald spot, shown in this photo taken on Dec. 14, 2023, after its trees are cleared by one of the mining companies operating on the island. —Geraldford Ticke

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, PALAWAN, Philippines — The Catholic Church leaders in Palawan issued a joint pastoral letter read during Sunday’s Masses in all parishes on the island calling for a 25-year moratorium on mining in the province, citing rapid deforestation in the country’s so-called last frontier.

The pastoral letter urged the public to support a petition that would push government officials to enact the needed measures that would protect the island known for its lush forest cover.

The pastoral letter, signed by Bishop Socrates Mesiona of the Vicariate of Puerto Princesa and Bishop Broderick Pabillo and Bishop Emeritus Edgardo Juanich of the Vicariate of Taytay warned that while Palawan’s forests have suffered greatly from commercial logging in the past, the current threat posed by large-scale mining is “far graver.”

The Vicariate of Puerto Princesa covers this city and the southern towns of Palawan while the Taytay vicariate covers the province’s northern towns.

The pastoral letter cited alarming figures of deforestation, such as the issuance of a special tree-cutting permit (STCP) by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in 2016 that allowed a mining company to fell 27,929 trees. A new application for cutting 8,000 more trees in the same mining site is reportedly under review.

The DENR also recently approved another STCP permitting the cutting of 52,000 trees to extract nickel ore in another part of Palawan.

According to the prelates, there is an “overwhelming number” of mining applications: 67 exploration permits across northern towns like Coron, Taytay, and Araceli, and southern municipalities such as Brooke’s Point, Rizal and Balabac.

‘Irreversible’ impact

These applications cover over 200,000 hectares, potentially adding to the 11 mining firms already operating in Palawan, whose Mineral Production Sharing Agreements span 29,430 ha.

“If all these applications are approved, vast stretches of lush forests, clean rivers, mangroves and coral reefs will be lost,” the bishops said, emphasizing that Palawan’s natural beauty, which attracts global recognition, would face “irreversible destruction.”

The letter reiterated the Church’s stance that mining is “unsustainable,” as it “devastates” ecosystems and wildlife.

Despite laws requiring mining companies to rehabilitate damaged areas, the prelates highlighted the lack of compliance and insufficient monitoring by the DENR.

“It’s heartbreaking to hear complaints about the use of money to secure endorsements for mining projects,” the bishops wrote, adding that less than 25 percent of the more than 3,000 ha mined in Narra, Española, Brooke’s Point and other areas have been rehabilitated.

The bishops called on the Provincial Board (PB) members to pass an ordinance implementing the moratorium.

“We urge them to prioritize the well-being and beauty of Palawan over political or corporate interests,” they said.

They also criticized the lack of action at the local level, noting that other provinces in the Mimaropa region—Mindoro, Marinduque, and Romblon—have enacted measures banning large-scale mining, while Palawan has yet to do so.

Planned ordinance

Gov. Victorino Dennis Socrates confirmed that a proposed ordinance for a 25-year mining moratorium is currently pending with the PB Committee on Environment and Natural Resources.

He explained that the ordinance reflects the consensus reached during the Palawan Stakeholders’ Congress on Mining and the Environment held last April, where the majority opposed new mining operations.

“If we allow mining to continue, with 65 applications and 13 active mining contracts, we’ll lose our forests and mountains,” Socrates said during a public forum on Nov. 29.

Socrates expressed frustration with weak enforcement and monitoring by government agencies, noting how easily officials tasked with regulation could be influenced or manipulated.

“If the [PB] endorses a new mining operation, I’ll have to veto it—even if it gets overridden,” Socrates said, emphasizing his commitment to protecting Palawan’s environment.

He also highlighted Palawan’s lack of infrastructure and technology to add value to raw minerals, stating that the province sees little benefit from the mining industry while bearing the environmental costs.

“We’re exporting raw minerals with no added value, and we don’t even know if other valuable resources are being extracted. Meanwhile, we earn mere scraps while depleting our natural wealth,” Socrates said.