The Philippines is racing to become a global leader in transition minerals like nickel, copper, and gold—essential for building renewable energy infrastructure. But as the demand for green energy explodes, Indigenous lands and critical ecosystems are paying the price.
Indigenous Land, Corporate Greed
On Mindanao, the upcoming Tampakan Copper-Gold Project, the largest mining operation in the country, has sparked fierce resistance from the Indigenous Lumad peoples. Organizer Kat Dalon isn’t backing down, saying, “Our lands, and what happens to it below and above the soil, should be under our self-determination.”
The fight is far from peaceful. Global Witness reveals that nearly half of all environmental defender killings in the Philippines are tied to mining, with the military itself often linked to these cases. Since the 1990s, Indigenous communities have lost 60,000 square miles of land—roughly the size of Georgia—to business-driven extraction.
Fast-Tracking Extraction, Ignoring Rights
With only 5% of $1 trillion worth of minerals explored, the government is doubling down on mining leases, now aiming to cut approval times to just one year. The result? More land grabs, more violence, and a greater overlap with biodiversity hotspots.
The Philippines may see its mineral wealth as a ticket to economic power, but for Indigenous communities on the front lines, this “green transition” looks more like a red flag.
Going green doesn’t mean turning a blind eye to lives being trampled.
