The Center for Development Programs in the Cordillera (CDPC) expresses its full solidarity with the people of Dupax del Norte, Nueva Vizcaya, as they courageously defend their land, livelihood, and collective future against the mining operations of Woggle Mining Corporation.
Since September 2025, residents, primarily farmers and Indigenous Peoples, have organized and maintained community barricades in Barangay Bitnong to prevent the entry of Woggle Mining Corporation. These actions stem from the absence of genuine consultation and growing concerns over environmental destruction, displacement, and the serious threat mining poses to their livelihoods. In August 2025, the Mines and Geosciences Bureau granted Woggle Mining Corporation a permit to conduct gold and copper exploration covering more than 3,100 hectares across five barangays, despite strong community opposition.
In response to the barricades, the Bambang Regional Trial Court issued Temporary Restraining Orders (TROs) ordering their removal. Nevertheless, the community remained firm in asserting its rights. Tensions escalated on January 23–24, when more than 300 police personnel forcibly dismantled the five-month-old blockade. Reports from the ground indicate the use of excessive force, resulting in injuries and arrests. By January 25, seven residents, including a community leader and six Indigenous women, were violently detained. CDPC strongly condemns these arrests and the continued harassment of community members who are peacefully defending their rights against developments that prioritize corporate profit over people and the environment.
CDPC, together with its network, has long advocated for the rights of Indigenous Peoples and supported communities in the Cordillera region resisting destructive mining operations. The region hosts large mining corporations such as Lepanto, Benguet Corporation (BCI), Philex, and Itogon-Suyoc Resources, Inc. (ISRI), whose decades of operation have resulted in historic mining disasters and long-term environmental damage. Today, the Cordillera faces 106 mining applications, with many active projects encountering strong community resistance due to well-documented social and environmental impacts. The struggle of Dupax del Norte is part of a broader national resistance shared by communities across the Cordillera and throughout the Philippines.
We must amplify the voices of affected communities and hold accountable those who place profit above human rights, environmental protection, and community welfare.
CDPC calls on the government, civil society organizations, and all concerned individuals to stand in solidarity with the people of Dupax del Norte, respect their right to self-determined and sustainable development, and immediately halt the violence, repression, and criminalization they face.
Together, we can work toward a future that upholds justice, human rights, and environmental integrity, one where development genuinely serves the people. Let us unite in this critical moment and continue the struggle for the dignity and rights of the people of Dupax del Norte and all communities affected by mining operations and mineral exploration.#