The communities of Guinaoang and Bulalacao in Mankayan, Benguet are standing firm against the entry of Crescent Mining and Development Corporation (CMDC), whose project threatens to destroy their ancestral lands, farms, and water systems. CMDC`s project is supported by an Australian mining firm known as Blackstone Minerals.
On October 13, 2025, approximately 400 residents from the two barangays came together for a mass and community program to bless their newly installed barricade. This event was particularly significant following the recent issuance of the Certification Precondition (CP) of CMDC by the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples. The event also marked the formal launch of the No Mines Movement of Guinaoang and Bulalacao (NM-MGB), a formation of residents united to defend their ancestral domain and assert their rights as indigenous peoples.
In their declaration, the communities asserted their duty to “preserve, protect, and enhance cultural values, natural resources, and the people’s collective future,” vowing to sustain their resistance against CMDC’s encroachment.
The contested project stems from the renewal of CMDC’s Mineral Production Sharing Agreement (MPSA) in March 2022, which covers 533.4 hectares of ancestral land within Guinaoang and Bulalacao. The agreement had already expired in November 2021, yet the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) and the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) pushed through its renewal without the Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) of affected residents.
Community elder Gary Dulag condemned the irregular renewal process, stressing that the MPSA renewal of CMDC was marred by corruption and deceit committed by government officials tasked to protect indigenous peoples’ rights. He emphasized that such actions undermine the cultural, social, economic, and political integrity of the community, and affirmed the people’s collective resolve to unite and resist these corrupt practices that endanger their land and future.
In December 2024, barangay officials of Bulalacao filed administrative and criminal complaints against former and current NCIP and MGB-CAR officials involved in the irregular permit renewal. Nearly a year later, the government has yet to take any action to hold these officials accountable.
The residents emphasized that CMDC’s operations will devastate vital water systems that feed rice terraces, vegetable gardens, and households in Mankayan and flow downstream into the Abra River. The communities regard these waters as the foundation of their survival, culture, and health.
Since August, residents have sustained round-the-clock guard at the barricade following reports of CMDC’s drilling equipment being transported to Guinaoang. This vigilance recalls their earlier victory in June 2022, when they successfully stopped CMDC’s exploration through mass action and collective strength.
The people of Guinaoang and Bulalacao reaffirm their unwavering commitment to protect their ancestral lands from corporate greed and government neglect. We call on indigenous peoples, environmental advocates, and all Filipinos to stand in solidarity with the struggle.
via Cordillera Peoples Alliance