Senator Kiko Pangilinan is calling for a Senate investigation into the issuance of an exploration permit that allowed a foreign company to conduct mining activities in Dupax del Norte, Nueva Vizcaya, amid concerns about the environment and ancestral rights.
“The purpose of the inquiry, in aid of legislation, is to review whether the issuance and implementation of DENR- MGB Exploration Permit No. EP 00003011 in Dupax del Norte, Nueva Vizcaya has caused issues with environmental compliance, public consultation, and FPIC requirements, reported violations of environmental and procedural rules, and the roles of concerned national and local government agencies in enforcing their responsibilities,” the two- page proposed Senate Resolution No. 284 states.
DENR-MGB Exploration Permit No. EP00003011 was granted to Woggle Corporation, an affiliate of FCF Minerals Corporation, to conduct gold and copper mining on about 3,100 hectares of land in the province.
“The Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Nueva Vizcaya has requested the DENR-MGB to cancel the exploration permit issued to the firm due to environmental concerns.”
In the resolution, Pangilinan stated that the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Nueva Vizcaya has requested the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Mines and Geosciences Bureau (DENR-MGB) to cancel the exploration permit issued to the firm due to environmental concerns.
Councils from Barangay Oyao, Bitnong, Inaban, Munguia, and other affected communities in the province have also called for an investigation into the issuance of the permit.
Several news reports have also quoted residents of Dupax del Norte expressing worries that mining activities will cause irreversible damage to their environment, crops, and water sources.
“The mining could affect our rice fields, especially since the river supplying water to our fields has started to emit a foul smell and may dry up soon.”
Farmers have also voiced fears that mining could affect their rice fields, especially since the river supplying water to their fields has started to emit a foul smell and may dry up soon.
In protest against the mining activities, residents and indigenous groups in Dupax del Norte have blockaded access roads to the mining sites.
However, a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) issued by the Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 30 of Bambang, Nueva Vizcaya, on October 10, 2025, prohibited residents from blocking roads and dismantled community barricades.
The enforcement of this TRO, based on a subsequent court order, led to clashes, with reports of some residents fainting amid the chaos.
With his proposed resolution and the privilege speech of Senator Raffy Tulfo, Pangilinan hopes to shed light on the circumstances surrounding the issuance of the permit, as well as protect and prioritize the rights of the residents in Dupax del Norte.
