Residents, including children, hold “No to Mining” placards during a protest in Barangay Navarro, Tubajon, Dinagat Islands. —Photo courtesy of Tubajon People’s Council.
SAN FRANCISCO, AGUSAN DEL SUR, Philippines — Residents of Barangay Navarro in Tubajon, Dinagat Islands, protested against a proposed mining project in their village, calling for greater protection of local watersheds as the province grapples with a prolonged water crisis.
The protest was held outside the Navarro Barangay Hall on Aug. 27, where a meeting initiated by the Tubajon People’s Council was expected to bring together five barangay leaders, representatives of the proponent company and other officials to discuss how to manage the impact of the planned extractive operation.
Residents said they feared the plan could be endorsed without affected communities first being given enough opportunity to examine its contents. They raised concerns over the possible effects of mining on the Navarro and Imelda watersheds, nearby farms, coastal waters and fishing communities.
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