BY LEANDER C. DOMINGO
BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya — A growing wave of mining exploration applications across Nueva Vizcaya has alarmed lawmakers and residents, with warnings that forests, watersheds and ancestral domains are now directly in the path of potential development.
During the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) budget briefing before the House Committee on Appropriations, Nueva Vizcaya Rep. Timothy Joseph Cayton flagged what he described as a troubling expansion of mining activity in the province.
Among the cases cited was the exploration permit of Northern Luzon Mining Resources Corporation (NLMRC) in Kasibu, an area already marked by protests, barricades and legal cases.
Cayton also raised reports linking mining applications to forest reserves, ancestral domains and watersheds — areas that fall under existing mining restrictions.
He called for an immediate review of exploration activities in Dupax del Norte, including a permit currently under suspension.
The congressman also urged the DENR to scrutinize pending applications in Santa Fe and Aritao before any new permits are issued.
“Being active in Congress is not only about attending hearings. It is about asking questions, listening, and looking for concrete solutions for Novo Vizcayanos,” Cayton said.
The congressman, also Assistant Majority Leader, pushed for a province-wide assessment of forest and public lands to identify areas that may be reclassified as alienable and disposable.
He said any reclassification must be backed by a biophysical assessment and supported by proper legislation.
The concerns come as upland communities report increasing tension.
Local groups have staged protests and put up barricades, arguing that exploration threatens farms, water sources and indigenous territories.
Nueva Vizcaya is classified as a headwater province.
Its forests and watersheds provide irrigation and drinking water not only to local towns but also to downstream communities in Cagayan Valley and nearby provinces.
Critics warn that any disturbance could have consequences beyond provincial borders.
The DENR has yet to release a consolidated report on the total number of active exploration permits and applications in Nueva Vizcaya.
But the issues raised in Congress indicate that multiple areas are now under review, from Kasibu in the north to Dupax del Norte, Santa Fe, Aritao and Bambang.
Environmental and community leaders have called for stricter vetting of mining applications, particularly in forestlands and ancestral domains.
They said the absence of clear mapping of critical areas increases the risk of conflict and irreversible environmental damage.
Cayton said Congress must ensure that exploration does not proceed without safeguards and genuine community consultation.
For residents, the budget hearing laid bare what they described as an alarming push for mining in a province where agriculture, forestry and water remain the foundation of daily life.