Environmental group flags risks in Philippine critical-minerals mining push

The Center for Environmental Concerns-Philippines (CEC) warned that a new government policy could accelerate mining across at least nine million hectares of land while reducing protections for Indigenous Peoples, local communities, and environmental defenders.

In a policy brief titled Critical Minerals for Whom?, the CEC stated that Executive Order No. 122, signed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Aug. 18, establishes a national framework to develop the country's critical-minerals industry. The order directs the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, through the Mines and Geosciences Bureau, to conduct a national exploration and mineral reservation program targeting prospective deposits, offshore areas, and government-owned mining assets.

The CEC claims the order expands a framework focused on minerals used for defense, digital technologies, advanced manufacturing, and clean energy. The group also noted that the policy introduces a virtual one-stop shop to streamline mining applications by allowing national and local permits to be processed at the same time. According to the CEC, this approach deepens an extractive model that has previously led to environmental destruction and human rights violations.