Inquirer·Philippines·

Over 1,000 Marinduqueños rally: Save $100M Marcopper disaster rehab deal

Translate

Holly Bacay

Thousands of Marinduqueños held a huge rally in front of the Marinduque Provincial Capitol in Boac capital town on Monday (September 28).

They staged the massive demonstration to express fear that the 100 million dollar Settlement Agreement meant to rehabilitate the environmental devastation from Marcopper mining disaster could be forfeited. (Photo from Marinduque Provincial Board Member ISHMAEL LIM) — Over a thousand Marinduqueños hold a huge rally in front of the Marinduque Provincial Capitol in Boac capital town on Monday (September 28) to express fear that the $100M dollar Settlement Agreement meant to rehabilitate the environmental devastation from Marcopper mining disaster could be forfeited. (Photo from Marinduque Provincial Board Member ISHMAEL LIM)

MANILA, Philippines — Environmental groups and various organizations in Marinduque are seeking help from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) for the release of the $100 million rehabilitation fund from Marcopper mine disaster settlement.

This is in relation to the 2025 settlement agreement entered into by the people of Marinduque and Canadian firm Barrick Gold.

READ: Barrick Gold deposits $50M in escrow; 1st payment in Marcopper mining tragedy

Article continues after this advertisement

Barrick Gold is obligated to pay $100 million after it acquired the Placer Dome — the Canadian company that used to run Marcopper Mining Corporation, whose operation resulted in the massive pollution of the province’s rivers and potable water.

FEATURED STORIES

NEWSINFO

READ: Marinduque groups press DENR over delayed Marcopper settlement

Over a thousand Marinduqueños held a huge rally in front of the Marinduque Provincial Capitol in Boac capital town on Monday (September 28).

They staged the massive demonstration to express fear that the 100 million dollar Settlement Agreement meant to rehabilitate the environmental devastation from Marcopper mining disaster could be forfeited. (Photo from Marinduque Provincial Board Member ISHMAEL LIM) — Demonstrators march to Marinduque Provincial Capitol in the capital town of Boac on Monday (September 28, 2026) to ask that the $100 Settlement Agreement to rehabilitate the environmental devastation from Marcopper mining be saved. (Photo from Marinduque Provincial Board Member ISHMAEL LIM)

More than a thousand protesters staged public demonstrations on Monday (Sept. 28) to demand the DENR’s release of the communication of clearance.

According to the Marinduque Council for Environmental Concerns (MACEC), the document is necessary for the release of the rehabilitation fund.

“The province is racing against a deadline set on October 4, 2026,” Elizabeth Manggol, executive secretary of MACEC said, referring to the settlement deadline.

Article continues after this advertisement

She explained that the fund could be compromised if the DENR failed to issue the document by next week.

The group said Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer Cesar Odi vowed to personally submit the petition to DENR Acting Secretary Juan Miguel Cuna on Tuesday. /apl

View the original on Inquirer →

KioskNews shows a cleaned-up reading view extracted from the publisher’s page — the original always lives on their site, not ours.