2 MIN READ

By XIAN PATRICIO
www.nordis.net

BAGUIO CITY—The Masadiits of Sallapadan rejected Yamang Mineral Corporation’s bid to explore minerals in their ancestral land, strengthening the long-standing opposition to large-scale mining in Abra.

During a meeting led by the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) on August 29, elders and leaders reaffirmed their opposition to the company’s planned mineral exploration by resubmitting resolutions of non-consent. 

“(W)e assert our priority rights over the use and management of our ancestral lands and resources and firmly declare that we do not consent to the entry of Yamanag Mineral Corporation or any outsider for mining exploration in our domain,” part of the resolution read.

The application, filed in February 2022, covers 16,187 hectares across Sallapadan, Licuan-Baay, Lacub, and Malibcong.

YMC was acquired by Metals Exploration plc, a UK-based mining company also operating in Nueva Vizcaya and Kalinga, in early 2024. By June of that year, community opposition had intensified, with residents of Ududiao, Sallapadan, setting up a barricade to block the entry of mining equipment.  

Despite lacking community consent, the Mines and Geosciences Bureau issued the company an Authority to Verify Minerals in October 2024. The company conducted soil and rock sampling, aerial mapping, and established a field office in Sallapadan, claiming that it did not need FPIC.

Community and local government protests led NCIP to issue a cease-and-desist order against YMC in November 2024, following reports of ongoing activities on ancestral lands.

Salakniban ti Umili ken Kadagaan ti Abra (SUMIKAD Abra), a multi-sectoral anti-mining network formed after a January 2025 gathering in the provincial capital Bangued, commended the Masadiit community. 

“They have taken a firm stance to oppose destructive large-scale mining,” the group said. “We hope other affected municipalities will do the same.”

Last August, the Diocese of Bangued also voiced its opposition to YMC’s exploration bid in the province, condemning “every action that destroys our environment.”

The bishops and clergy of the said diocese said, “The Malanas and Baay Rivers flow into the Abra River—our lifeline… If we remain silent, our children and their children will suffer—and they will hold us accountable.”#nordis.net