LA TRINIDAD, Benguet — The Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Benguet passed a series of resolutions strengthening the protection of Indigenous Peoples’ (IP) rights and ensuring mining firms’ strict compliance with national mining regulations.
The measures reflect the provincial government’s firm stance on environmental integrity, lawful mining practices, and the necessity of genuine community consent.
In Resolution No. 2025-287, the provincial board expressed its full support for Executive Order No. 50, series of 2025, and a corresponding Mankayan town resolution ordering a mining company to halt all mining-related activities.
Benguet lawmakers emphasized that no operations should proceed unless the company complies fully with Section 59 of the Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act (IPRA), which mandates Free and Prior Informed Consent (FPIC) from affected communities.
The resolution further called on the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Mines and Geosciences Bureau (DENR-MGB) and the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) to strictly enforce FPIC and Certification Precondition requirements before issuing or renewing any mining permits.
Another resolution (Resolution No. 2025-288) directs the DENR-MGB to reassess the renewal of Mineral Production Sharing Agreement (MPSA) No. 057-96-CAR, and to suspend or revoke it if found to be non-compliant with FPIC laws.
The measure cites the Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act, the Philippine Mining Act of 1995, and a 2022 Supreme Court ruling involving Lepanto Consolidated Mining Company, underscoring the need for clear legal compliance before any mining rights are granted or extended.
In Resolution No. 2025-289, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan urged the NCIP to strictly implement Section 59 of IPRA by refraining from issuing conditional certifications. Officials stressed that such conditional documents may undermine the integrity of the FPIC process, which is designed to safeguard indigenous communities’ right to decide on projects that affect their ancestral domains.
While Resolution No. 2025-290 specifically calls on NCIP-Cordillera Administrative Region to withdraw its 2021 conditional certification of no objection issued in relation to a mining company’s MPSA renewal. The provincial board argued that the document, treated by DENR-MGB as a Certification Precondition, did not meet the legal standards required under IPRA, potentially compromising the rights of the affected communities.
Resolution No. 2025-291 declares the provincial government’s support for Indigenous Peoples and Indigenous Cultural Communities in Barangays Bulalacao, Guinaoang, and surrounding areas as they assert their rights under national laws. The resolution reinforces that genuine FPIC must be obtained before any mining activity can be allowed to proceed within their ancestral territories.
All five resolutions were approved on first and final reading during the 16th Regular Meeting of the 12th Sangguniang Panlalawigan this week marking a significant policy stand by Benguet’s provincial leaders on the importance of indigenous rights, environmental protection, and lawful mining operations. — Artemio A. Dumlao
