A COMMUNITY coalition supporting the Australian firm OceanaGold is registering at the Securities and Exchange Commission while disputes on the mining company’s local operations continue.
“Just recently, last year, we organized and formed a group. We call that coalition of communities for sustainable development,” OceanaGold Communications Supervisor Jury D. Baguilat told reporters at a press briefing on Thursday.
“We just realized that we really need to form a group when we are meeting with government officials.”
OceanaGold’s Didipio-based gold and copper mine in Nueva Vizcaya ceased operations in Oct. 2019 as its dispute with the local government continues. Anti-mining protesters and local government want the mine shut due to environmental concerns.
Protesters have been barricading routes to the mine after the company’s financial and/or technical assistance agreement (FTAA) expired in June 2019 after 25 years.
Ms. Baguilat said the newly formed coalition supporting the mine represents 90% of indigenous peoples in the community surrounding the mine. Members of Didipio and neighboring communities are represented.
“We want the project to continue because we want our barangay to get developed because for the longest time people there were suffering from lack of good roads,” Ms. Baguilat said.
OceanaGold has been implementing development initiatives in the area, investing in infrastructure, health, and education.
The company’s application to renew its FTAA is being processed by the Office of the President.
OceanaGold said that the company may cut staff numbers if the agreement is not renewed by the end of the month.
“If we can’t get the FTAA approved by the end of February, then we have to start looking at different scenarios and there will be some impacts potentially on staff numbers on that,” OceanaGold Global Corporate Communication Manager Melissa Bowerman said.
But the company has no estimate on the percentage of employees — which currently stands at around 1500 — that may lose their jobs starting next month. The local staff is comprised mostly of Filipinos.
The Dipidio mine produced 83,913 ounces of gold and 10,255 MT of copper until October last year. For full-year 2018, Dipidio produced around 115,000 ounces of gold and 15,00 MT of copper. — Jenina P. Ibañez
