Palawan folk fight for future as world scrambles for critical minerals
Moharen Tambiling, an indigenous Palaw’an, was once a supporter of a nickel mine on their ancestral land in southern Palawan. He was initially drawn in by the miner’s promises of job opportunities and development.
But Tambiling’s perspective shifted when he observed alleged irregularities in the free, prior and informed consent (FPIC) process for the mine. Then, the miner, Ipilan Nickel Corporation (INC), constructed a pier for transporting nickel ore in the area where he traditionally harvested lobsters, without consulting him.
The construction and the operation of the pier have made it difficult for residents of Barangay Maasin like Tambiling to fish and catch lobsters.
As residents grapple with the consequences of mining in their town, the government’s pursuit of exploring and extracting minerals needed for the shift to clean energy, such as nickel, has raised concerns about the social and environmental costs of the scramble for renewable energy resources.
This story was supported by @climatetracker and @oxfaminternational. Thank you for your support!
🖋 @gaeatothemoon & @rchl.ganancial
📸 Jazmin D. Tabuena / Climate Tracker/Oxfam/Philstar.com
Read the first part of the story here: https://www.philstar.com/headlines/climate-and-environment/2023/12/03/2316144/palawan-folk-fight-future-world-scrambles-critical-minerals
But Tambiling’s perspective shifted when he observed alleged irregularities in the free, prior and informed consent (FPIC) process for the mine. Then, the miner, Ipilan Nickel Corporation (INC), constructed a pier for transporting nickel ore in the area where he traditionally harvested lobsters, without consulting him.
The construction and the operation of the pier have made it difficult for residents of Barangay Maasin like Tambiling to fish and catch lobsters.
As residents grapple with the consequences of mining in their town, the government’s pursuit of exploring and extracting minerals needed for the shift to clean energy, such as nickel, has raised concerns about the social and environmental costs of the scramble for renewable energy resources.
This story was supported by @climatetracker and @oxfaminternational. Thank you for your support!
🖋 @gaeatothemoon & @rchl.ganancial
📸 Jazmin D. Tabuena / Climate Tracker/Oxfam/Philstar.com
Read the first part of the story here: https://www.philstar.com/headlines/climate-and-environment/2023/12/03/2316144/palawan-folk-fight-future-world-scrambles-critical-minerals
