Overview: Kalinga as one of the provinces in the Cordillera region is rich with natural resources in which throughout the years these had been preserved and protected by the Kalinga people. History has it that this peoples had shown their opposition in large destructible projects and mining projects as well for they know very well the importance of their land and the destruction that it would cause to their place. Not so long ago imperialist firms like the Makilala Mining Company had been eyeing Guina-ang, a barangay in Pasil, Kalinga to be with gold reserves and since then it tried mapping the gold reserves of the place with the help of the so called advanced technology with the tribes unaware of it.

For the past decades, the Guina-ang tribe composing of six barangays (Guina-ang Poblacion, Bagtayan, Galdang, Pugong, Malucsad and Dangtalan) is a peaceful, united and having a close family ties relationship. Since before, tribal elders and LGU has never allowed any big mining company applicants to explore their place. They defended and protected their environment because they knew very well the bad effects of mining. Moreover, they regarded nature as their source of livelihood and that embracing mining would mean eternal obliteration of their source of livelihood -"their ancestral land". They are very firm in their stand in opposing the mining application for most of them said that they will preserve the invaluable natural resources for their children and their children's children for them to manage and develop for the benefit of all the tribe.

Last August 12, 2013, NCIP-Kalinga together with some Makilala cohorts conducted pre-FPIC coherence in relation to the exploration permit of Makilala Mining Company covering 3,159 hectares of Guina-ang ancestral domain and in their first attempt alone they had witnessed that there were many of them who are against it. This was after their presence of operation was known to the public a year later that was sometime in September 2012. Thus, this imperialist groups used different methods such as using the NCIP per se as their aid in pushing the mining application and they also used the 'divide and rule tactic' to destroy the unity of the people and the community. Since then, the people were confused; they started arguing with each other resolving to disputes between and among relatives. The NCIP also had not followed the proper conduct of FPIC (Free Prior Informed Consent) and that they created their own council of elders in which these groups of peoples were pro mining. In addition the NCIP in the general assembly’s that they had called didn’t invite the audience of the people whom they know are against mining but some were invited and in their deliberation those people who were against mining were not given sufficient time to explain their grounds and were asked to sit if ever they raise a point of inquiry or simply they were ignored and disregarded.  Having said so, there are still these groups of individuals that are concerned in protecting their ancestral lands such as the IFAGPI (Indigenous Farmers Association of Guina-ang, Pasil Incorporated) and GIPO (Guina-ang Indigenous Peoples Organization) whose aim is to bring to an end the mining application of MCC.  The Guina-ang tribe therefore filed manifestos, petitions, resolutions opposing the application of Makilala yet the NCIP continued to undermine the peoples protest. Until now, NCIP Kalinga is determined in pursuing their purpose by doing all possible means to get the support of all Guina-ang tribe but anti-mining people still have a unyeilding stand in protecting their land as their main source livelihood and where the future of the incoming generations lies upon.

Guina-ang folks reiterate their opposition……..

In the light of August 3, 2014 the Indigenous Farmers Association of Guinaang Pasil Incorporated (IFAGPI) people’s organization conducted a general assembly in Guinaang, Pasil, Kalinga to adhere and discuss the issues regarding the intrusion of Makilala Mining Company. And it causes a dilemma to the people because it started to disunite the tribesmen of Guinaang. Their agenda was to present the possible effects of mining whenever the Makilala Mining starts to operate. And to read the content of the petition letter that was prepared by the organization which was later signed after the assembly ended. The said assembly has been attended by the different representatives of the whole Guinaang Tribe. After the fruitful deliberation in the assembly the petition letters were collected and were delivered in the NCIP national office last August 10, 2014, attached with it were some official documents supporting the aforementioned petition.  It was also said that prior to the said assembly a group of individuals were harassed and was red-tagged  or vilified as supporters of the NPA (New People's Army) which was lawfully wrong for it endangers the lives of these peoples that did nothing but to fight for their rights and what is rightfully theirs. These are just some of clear manifestations that the state forces under the imperialist controlled government of the Philippines doesn’t protect the welfare of the masses specially the national minorities rather it employs all possible means to fulfill the interests of these imperialist countries dictating on how the system should run. The case of Guina-ang is not a new for those who are really aware in the status qou of the country in which in the national situation countless lives were sacrificed in defending their ancestral lands but in the same case the Guina-ang tribe also portrays the sense of nationalism in which they fight for the common good of their tribesmen and not to let these lapdogs of imperialists countries take the priceless treasure their ancestors and their ancestors before them had protected.

At present, the Guina-ang folks are relying on what the national office of NCIP would act on the petition submitted just recently. As it is still under process the conflict between and among tribesmen in Guina-ang still continues with the personalities of some people being tainted in something they are not. Hence, these folks continue their struggle in a legal and just approach whereas their perpetuators act in unimaginable manner just for their ill-gotten interests to prevail. Moreover, their fight doesn’t end their whereby these folks can go as far as they can to stop the mining application of the Makilala Mining Company and any other mining companies that would dare rob their ancestral land nourished by the sweat and blood of their ancestors and their ancestors before them.