We are MANILAKBAYAN

Last Updated on August 3, 2018

MANILAKBAYAN is a Mindanao People’s Mobilization for Land, the Environment, and Human Rights that brings voices of concern on mining affected communities and the attacks on environment defenders. Against these threats to land and life, Mindanao peoples — Lumads, Moro and settlers — continue the valiant commitment to defend the environment and national patrimony, resisting Goliaths of plunder and terror driven by corporate mining.

Since 2005, at least 55 environmental advocates in the Philippines have been killed by suspected agents of government security forces.
Of those 55, 27 have been killed in Mindanao.
+50% of the total estimated mineral wealth of the Philippines is located in Mindanao (USD 12.6 billion)
Local communities are struggling for the right to retain their access to these resources. In 2008, the GRP created the Investment Defense Force (IDF) to ‘protect’ the investment of mining companies by militarizing mining claims.
Since 2005, at least 30 forced evacuations of villages in mining claims have been carried out by government forces deployed in homes, schools and barangay (town) halls in Mindanao
Loose-cannon paramilitary groups deputized by ex President Arroyo’s EO no. 546 to guard mining companies, are an ever present threat to other communities, especially Lumads
The Latest victim of paramilitary aggression was Jimmy Liguyon, a Matigsalog leader killed March 5, 2012 for peacefully refusing to sign over his village’s land for ‘development.’
The past two years under President Aquino’s administration have been marked by a glaring failure to address the human rights impact of mining investments in the country. In July 2012, Aquino enacted EO no.79, favoring multinational mining corporations while neglecting legitimate concerns of affected communities.

It is out of this context that the MANILAKBAYAN movement was created.

The 4 goals of MANILAKBAYAN are:

1: To stop the Killings of indigenous people and of environmental advocates
2: To influence government policy through lobbying various decision making offices (DENR, DOJ, COM, NCIP)
3: To educate and raise awareness of the issues and gravity of escalating human rights violations in Mindanao by holding forums in schools, churches and other venues
4: To build a network of support by forming relationships with national partners with whom future beneficial and cooperative agendas can be realized.

More information

Support Mindanao’s People Mobilisation for the Defense of Land, Environment and Human Rights
Philippines: Mindanao Peasants And Indigenous Peoples In Manila Call To Stop Killings And Large-Scale Mining
Mining-ravaged Mindanao folk deliver ‘closure orders’ to mining TNCs, Chamber of Mines

Dear reader,

Across the world right now, Indigenous peoples are facing a renewed assault on their lands, rights, and ways of life. From extractive industries pushing deeper into ancestral territories, to governments rolling back hard-won protections, the threat is global—and it is growing.

What makes this moment especially dangerous is how little attention it receives.

Stories like this are disappearing in real time. Mainstream media barely covers it and the coverage is fragmented. The public is left without the context needed to understand what is truly at stake.

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John Ahni Schertow
Founder and Editor in Chief

Dear reader,

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