Public Scoping at Aramaywan: Genuine Consultation or Mere Formality?

Aramaywan, Quezon, Palawan – May 21, 2025

Yesterday, May 20, 2025, Berong Nickel Corporation (BNC) conducted a public scoping session in Aramaywan, Quezon, Palawan, marking a significant step toward expanding nickel mining operations under the "Dangla Nickel Project." The event, attended by an estimated 200-300 participants, gathered Indigenous Peoples (IPs), community leaders, environmental advocates, representatives from government agencies, and BNC's staff and consultants.

Understanding Public Scoping

Public Scoping, defined in Philippine mining and environmental guidelines, is intended to gather public inputs and identify significant environmental concerns before conducting an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). Ideally, this allows stakeholders to suggest crucial aspects for inclusion in baseline studies and potential impact analyses.

BNC introduced their third-party consultants to establish baseline data, including biodiversity surveys, water quality tests, and socio-economic assessments within their mining concession. At this juncture, BNC has already secured a Strategic Environmental Plan (SEP) clearance from the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development (PCSD), which raises serious concerns about the sequence and integrity of this supposedly participatory process.

Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC): Truly Informed?

Perhaps the most contentious revelation from the event was that BNC is already at the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signing stage with local Indigenous Peoples (IPs), suggesting that Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) has already been obtained. This drew sharp questioning from community representatives.

One IP participant directly asked the BNC panel how many trees—including medicinal plants essential for local traditional practices—would be cut down during operations. BNC had no immediate answer, raising fundamental doubts about the validity of the FPIC process undertaken. How can consent be considered genuinely "informed" if basic questions regarding environmental and socio-cultural impacts remain unanswered?

Tagbunsaing Lake: Critical Ecosystem Under Threat

Tagbunsaing Lake, a vital ecosystem adjacent to the proposed mining area, is at risk. Community representatives highlighted its significance as a primary source of livelihood and sustenance, supplying crabs, fish, and prawns crucial to local IP communities.

It is deeply concerning that BNC's shared maps indicate plans to construct a large settling pond for mine tailings close to Tagbunsaing Lake. When explicitly asked how severe environmental impacts would need to be before BNC would voluntarily stop operations, their response was clear: only intervention from the government could halt their mining activities. This highlights potential risks to the lake's ecosystem and emphasizes the critical importance of effective governmental oversight.

Reliance solely on regulatory action leaves the ecosystem at significant risk, given historical precedents in the Philippines, where environmental monitoring and enforcement have been weak or inconsistent.

Community Participation or Tokenism?

Though BNC transported IP communities to the venue by trucks and provided food from Jolibee, the question arises: does providing lunch constitute meaningful community engagement, or is it simply tokenism?

The substantial attendance from various agencies, including PCSD, DENR, EMB, LGU of Quezon, Barangay leaders, and NGOs such as ELAC, PBCAI, and PNNI, shows significant public interest and vigilance. Yet, genuine participation requires more than attendance—it demands transparency, honest answers, and sincere consideration of public concerns.

Implications and Urgent Considerations

The critical insight from yesterday's Public Scoping is the need for immediate, detailed, and transparent environmental assessments before formal agreements with local communities or operational approvals. BNC’s sequencing of FPIC before baseline data completion undermines the credibility and intent of informed consent.

Furthermore, given the Philippine government's historical challenges in effectively regulating and monitoring mining operations, BNC's admission that only governmental intervention can halt operations in case of severe damage is deeply troubling. This highlights the urgent need for robust environmental governance frameworks and community oversight.

Moving Forward: Genuine Transparency and Accountability

As BNC proceeds with the Dangla Nickel Project, stakeholders must demand genuine transparency. Baseline studies must comprehensively address community-raised concerns, especially regarding biodiversity loss, socio-cultural impacts, and potential irreversible damage to Tagbunsaing Lake and adjacent ecosystems.

The role of civil society and environmental watchdogs remains crucial. Local communities and their advocates must ensure that any consent given is genuinely informed and reflects immediate economic gains and long-term environmental and cultural sustainability.

Vigilance, transparency, and accountability cannot be mere buzzwords for Palawan’s future, particularly for Aramaywan and its vulnerable Indigenous communities—they must define every step forward.