QUEZON, Nueva Vizcaya: More than 1,500 workers mostly from different tribal groups working for the Runruno mining operations staged a peaceful rally on June 28 to express their fear that they might lose their jobs as the company is on the verge of closing down operations because of some resistance from Indigenous people (IP) and other land settlers within the mining area.

Joey Dulnuan, Runruno Friends of Highland Group Union president, said FCF Minerals Corp. has about 90 percent of its workforce belonging to the IP sector and has expressed intention to shut down its operations which, in turn, could also displace its workers, including those contractors and subcontractors.

Dulnuan noted that the company could not work on the stage three access area of Runruno because of the land dispute that has yet to be settled recently.

He said mining operations in stages one and two, according to the mining department, have been completed except for a small part of stage two where stage three is strategic access to complete the company’s operation in stage two.

In a letter dated June 27, the union brought to the attention of Mayor Dolores Binwag their concern for fear of a possible closure of FCF’s operation because the company has exhausted all its remedies to proceed in its mining area, particularly stage three being occupied by the claimant IP family.

“We would like to bring to your attention our concern that we are terrified of the possible effect [if] the FCF mining company [closes]. The local workers are worried [of] what will happen [to us] if the company will close since stage one and stage two [are] mined out already,” Dulnuan said.

He said this is the reason why they are conducting the “peaceful demonstration” on June 28 to show their support for the continued operation of FCF Minerals for the development of their community as well as the provision of employment.

“Some 5,000 individuals, mostly belonging to the Indigenous peoples’ group, composed of workers and their families including contractors and subcontractors, will lose jobs and livelihood, children deprived of education and will stop community development if the company closes as an option,” Dulnuan said.

According to the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), FCF Minerals Corp. is a holder of a 25-year financial or technical assistance agreement (FTAA) issued in 2009, giving it the exclusive right over the mine contract area consisting of more than 3,000 hectares located in Runruno village.

Meanwhile, James Carmichael, FCF Minerals country manager, affirmed that they have been delayed for more than two years now and couldn’t proceed with their operation because of the resistance at stage three of the mining area.

In a statement, FCF noted that despite compliance with all the requirements by the company allowing it to enter the lands within the contract area under its FTAA, the settlers still refuse to vacate, leaving the company no option but to halt its operation if remedies have been exhausted and that nothing more can be done.

Engineer Mario Ancheta, Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) Region 2 (Cagayan Valley) director, said FCF has been in the commercial operation period of its FTAA and needed to use stage three within the contract area for its continued mining operations.

As early as 2015, the FCF Minerals commenced negotiations with the settlers for compensation, but the company claims the settlers are demanding “exorbitant fees.”

Because of the failure of the negotiations, FCF Minerals in the same year requested MGB Region 2 to allow its entry into the mining contract area where stage three is located to conduct its mining operations.

On Jan. 8, 2019, FCF Minerals applied for the bond to enter the said area, which is a public land, by posting the amount of P500,000 which the MGB Region 2 approved.

Ancheta explained that the approval of the bond allows FCF Mineral’s entry to operate within the subject public land, particularly at stage three, which is occupied by the settlers.

The land valuation and assessment made by the Mine Management Division dated Aug. 3, 2015 on the settlers’ property placed it at P320,010 which makes the bond of P500,000 more than enough to cover the possible damage to the pieces of property and compensation for the settlers, according to the MGB.

The union said despite FCF Minerals’ compliance with all the requirements of the government-led MGB, the settlers still refuse to vacate the contested mining area.

“This is what we, Indigenous Peoples, who work at FCF fear. If the company stops, we will lose our jobs and we don’t want our village to turn into a ghost town, slowing down economic development,” Dulnuan said.