THE Davao City-based environmental group Interfacing Development Interventions for Sustainability (Idis) has called for accountability over the irreversible environmental damage in Barangay Macambol, Davao Oriental, and expressed support for Governor Nelson Dayanghirang’s recent stand against mining in the area.
Idiss said that while the governor’s pronouncement was long overdue, it marks a crucial turning point for Davao Oriental, a province that has suffered years of ecological degradation and social tension due to mining operations.
“We welcome the provincial government’s leadership in recognizing the urgency of the situation, the damage already inflicted, and the consequences faced by the community and future generations,” Idis said.
Earlier, Dayanghirang led a dialogue addressing the mining damage in Macambol, where over 200 hectares of land were affected and a key road project was obstructed. He urged cooperation to halt all mining activities and protect the nearby Mount Hamiguitan Wildlife Sanctuary.
Longstanding concerns
Idis recalled that residents and environmental advocates had been raising alarms for years, but their concerns were dismissed by agencies claiming the mining site was outside protected boundaries.
In 2022, Idis warned that mining in Macambol posed serious risks to the Mount Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary and the Pujada Bay Protected Landscape and Seascape. Despite this, the Mati City government maintained that the operations of Austral-Asia Link Mining Corporation and Hallmark Mining Corporation were outside the Unesco heritage site.
By 2025, Idis reiterated its call for stricter oversight, commending local officials who spoke out against the threat. The group also condemned the harassment and violence faced by environmental defenders in Mindanao, emphasizing that “they stood not for profit, but for principle, for the sake of future generations.”
The Mount Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary, a Unesco World Heritage Site, is home to rare species such as the Philippine Eagle and the pygmy forest ecosystem.
Idis warned that mining near the area poses irreversible risks once contamination seeps into soil and river systems.
Responsible mining?
Following the governor’s call, Hallmark Mining Corporation released a statement on October 8, appealing for dialogue and reaffirming its commitment to “responsible mining.”
“Instead of division, let us find unity; through dialogue, cooperation, and shared responsibility, to keep Davao Oriental thriving, green, and full of life for generations to come,” the company said.
Hallmark cited its Environmental Protection and Enhancement Program (Epep), which includes siltation ponds, collector sumps, and monitoring teams, as well as its community programs that provide access to education, health, and basic services.
The company expressed concern that halting operations could affect 1,800 mine workers and about 3,000 others in related industries.
However, Idis rejected the claim, arguing that “there is no such thing as responsible mining” in fragile ecosystems like those in the Philippines, where weak enforcement and poverty worsen the impacts.
“This is why Hallmark Mining continues to engage openly with local leaders and stakeholders, to protect both the environment and the livelihoods of our people,” the company said.
Idis questioned the company’s claim of responsible mining, pointing out that the destruction of over 200 hectares of land and the obstruction of a provincial road contradict such assertions. The group added that token community programs cannot conceal the long-term ecological damage caused by mining activities.
Call for accountability
Idis urged the provincial government, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Davao Region, and other agencies to immediately suspend and revoke mining operations in Macambol and other affected areas.
The group also called for an independent environmental and social audit, the filing of cases against violators, and a community-led rehabilitation of the damaged areas.
They likewise pushed for stronger protection of Mount Hamiguitan’s buffer zones under the Expanded National Integrated Protected Areas System (Enipas) Act and the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) System.
A community’s plea
Primo Solis, president of the Macambol Multi-sectoral Association for Integral Development, appealed for a total stop to mining operations to preserve the province’s natural beauty for future generations.
“Alagaan man dapat nimo ang yutang kabilin dili man ingon i-rekomenda nimo ipamina kay wala mana sa balaod. Alagaan gyud nimo para manatili ang area ninyu nga muabot ang panahon wala mahurot gyud imong yuta (You should take care of the land you inherited; it’s not something to hand over for mining. Protect it so that it remains for your children),” Solis said.
He also warned of continued illegal logging and its threat to wildlife in Mount Hamiguitan and Pujada Bay.
A wake-up call
Idis said the Macambol case should serve as a wake-up call for stronger environmental governance.
“Let this late response mark the end of ‘business as usual’ and the beginning of true ecological justice,” the group said, stressing that “better late than never” should not be the standard for protecting the planet.
“The people of Davao Oriental deserve a province that learns from this chapter, one that rebuilds not only its lands but also its moral and institutional commitment to sustainability,” it added. RGP