, we are actually referring to the first settlers in our land. They are the group in actual…){kind=link}
WHEN WE SPEAK of the indigenous people (IP), we are actually referring to the first settlers in our land. They are the group in actual possession of the land which they occupied even before the so-called development.
The land they have occupied, which has been classified as ancestral domain, are at their disposal, use and maintenance.
But not for the government, which approved nickel mining projects despite inadequate consultation and serious risks to communities’ health and environment.
LOSING ANCESTRAL DOMAIN
In a report made public by Amnesty International (AI) Philippines, there are over 20,000 IPs who stand to lose their ancestral domain amid efforts to ensure enough supply of nickel required in the government’s quest for renewable energy.
For one, nickel is an essential component of lithium-ion batteries needed in the production of electric vehicles.
AI expressed apprehension over the Philippines’ nickel boom which they claimed effectively renders IPs homeless even as the group cited the government failure to adequately consult local communities and obtain their consent.
Indigenous Peoples and rural communities are paying a heavy price for the world’s scramble for energy transition minerals, according to Veronica Cabe, chair of AI Philippines.
The P73.875-M royalty allocation for the use of the IP’s ancestral domain supports various developmental projects aimed at fostering sustainable progress within the region.
ADVERSE EFFECTS
IP and rural communities are paying a heavy price as the world scrambles for energy transition minerals, Cabe said.
“Not only did these communities undergo seriously flawed consultation processes – blighted by misrepresentations and a lack of information – they are now being forced to endure the negative impacts of these mining operations on their health, livelihoods and access to clean water.”
Cabe particularly cited Brooke’s Point, ancestral home to the Pala’wan Indigenous People in the island of Palawan where Ipilan Nickel Corporation (INC), MacroAsia Mining Corporation (MMC) and Lebach Mining Corporation (LMC) are set to expand mining operations embarking on nickel extraction.
Pala’wan or Palawano is one of the IPs of the island province.
HEALTH HAZARD
According to experts, nickel mining, regardless of its magnitude, poses risk of heavy metal contamination to the air people breathe, the water they drink and even in their food intake.
On-site interviews conducted by AI-Philippines also yielded results showing an increase in health issues since the nickel mining companies commenced operations.
Among the health concerns cited in the study included a sharp spike in the cases of asthma, coughs, breathing difficulties, and other respiratory issues, in addition to skin diseases and eye, throat and skin irritation.
They also reported how declining water quality – with several freshwater sources described as having turned a “reddish-brown” – has adversely impacted the livelihoods of fisher people and reduced crop yields.
SUSPEND MINING
“The Philippine government must suspend these mining operations until it has conducted an urgent investigation into human rights and environmental abuses, while nickel mine operators must put human rights at the center of their operations,” said AI’s Business and Human Rights researcher, Alysha Khambay.
“Without greater supply chain transparency, EV brands cannot say that their vehicles are free from the taint of human rights and environmental abuse in the Philippines. These brands must investigate their supply chains for links to nickel from the Philippines and make the results and any risk mitigation measures public.”
The research, conducted between September 2023 and October 2024, included interviews with 90 community members, as well as site visits and scrutiny of project documents, court records and images.
Interestingly, resistance among IPs mellowed down following the turnover of some P53 million in royal shares from IPC sometime in January this year.
IP groups in Brooke’s Point in Palawan received their “shares” from INC during a ceremonial turnover with no less than the local government officials and representatives from the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples as witnesses.
It is part of the total P73.875 million royalty allocation covering the period of September 2022, when the company began operations, up to September 2024. This amount is included in the Community Royalty Development Plan designed “to support various developmental projects aimed at fostering sustainable progress within the region.”