Gov’s allies want ‘kalabasa’ award for DENR’s Atienza
BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya–A provincial board member here on Wednesday filed a resolution awarding the “kalabasa” (squash) award to Environment Secretary Jose “Lito” Atienza, for “mishandling” the
controversy between the provincial government and a foreign mining firm operating here.
Board member Efren Quiben said Atienza deserves the award for favoring and [...]
N. Vizcaya gov’t squeezes Aussie mining firm
BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya–The provincial board on Wednesday continued to add pressure on a foreign company here when it initiated a resolution withdrawing its support to the firm’s gold-copper project over its “blatant” refusal to pay quarry taxes to the local government.
The 13-member Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) voted to pass on [...]
N. Vizcaya gov’t stops mining operations over tax dues
BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya - The provincial government has blocked earth-moving operations by an Australian mining firm for its refusal to pay taxes imposed by the local government.
On Tuesday, a group of about 50 provincial officials, department heads and police and security personnel went to Barangay Didipio in [...]
Tribes score mining firm for ‘lack of concern’ for villagers
BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya–Tribal leaders in an upland community here on Tuesday criticized the supposed apathy shown by an Australian mining firm by claiming that its project was underway, despite widespread clamor for its stoppage over controversies.
Village officials of Didipio in upland Kasibu town assailed the [...]
N. Vizcaya tribes turn to gods amid woes
BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya–Tribal leaders here are imploring the aid and protection of their deity “Kabunian” amid hardships suffered by tribes, especially involving various mining controversies in the province.
Tribal priests from various indigenous groups in Nueva Vizcaya staged the “Baki ni Halupay” at the provincial office of the National [...]
Agency seeks to stop demolition of tribe’s houses in N. Vizcaya mining project
KASIBU, Nueva Vizcaya–The National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) called for the stoppage of the operations of an Australian mining company amid the alleged violations of human rights it has committed against tribal peoples of an upland village here that is the site [...]
Mining watchdog seeks probe of Aussie firms’ rights ‘abuses’
BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya–The Australian mining ombudswoman has called on the Commission on Human Rights in the Philippines to investigate the alleged human rights abuses committed by a Melbourne-based mining firm in remote Didipio village, site of its proposed US$117-million gold-copper project.
Shanta Martin, Oxfam Australia mining ombudsman, made [...]
N. Vizcaya farmers, officials hit diversion of rice funds
BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya–Officials and residents here have assailed the provincial government for sacrificing funds for a rice program in favor of road construction and a bulldozer.
Documents showed that a P2 million allotment for the province’s rice modernization program has been used to fund farm-to-market roads worth P500,000 [...]
N. Vizcaya villagers dig in vs Australian mining company
KASIBU, Nueva Vizcaya–Residents of a remote village in this upland town have set up a barricade to prevent a foreign company from clearing their land and building a dam for its gold-copper project.
About 100 villagers of Didipio have been holding a round-the-clock watch over a blockade [...]
N. Vizcaya folk lose rice lands to Aussie mining operations
KASIBU, Nueva Vizcaya–Tribal residents of this upland town have expressed disgust over the rapid loss of their rice lands amid the ongoing land-clearing operations by Australian mining firm OceanaGold Philippines Inc.
Officials of Didipio village here fear a possible shortage of locally produced rice and other farm [...]
