Elizabeth Ibañez, 66, could have just stepped away from environmental work in San Fernando, Romblon. After all, she has spent decades in volunteerism while raising five children as a single parent. Those children now have families of their own, and they are asking that she stop or at least go slow in her volunteer work.
But Ibañez, the coordinator and chair of Sibuyanons Against Mining (SAM), has no intention of doing so. “If the issue dies, we lose,” she said.
Ibañez is one of the leading voices of the grassroots-based SAM challenging the proposed development of mineral resources on Sibuyan Island in Romblon.
Sibuyan is often called the “Galápagos of Asia” for its distinctive geological history, isolation, and exceptional biodiversity. Its ecosystems include forests, rivers, agricultural areas, and coastal habitats, with numerous plant and animal species found nowhere else worldwide.
It is home to Mount Guiting-Guiting, Romblon’s highest mountain (2,058 meters or 6,752 feet above sea level) whose jagged peaks crowning extensive forests have drawn mountaineers and nature enthusiasts.
Elizabeth’s community organizing
Ibañez’s involvement in community organizing predates the mining dispute in her hometown. She worked with trade unions in Manila during President Ferdinand Marcos Sr.’s regime before returning to Romblon.
Her opposition to mining arose from concerns about the rift it has created among her fellow Sibuyanons. The stakes became more personal: Protecting the island meant defending the livelihoods, natural resources, and future of the community she had spent much of her life serving.
“Only one company has applied, yet two areas are set to be mined,” she said in an interview with CoverStory, referring to the proposed mining areas of Altai Philippines Mining Corp. (APMC), a 100%-Filipino-owned company formed in 1996, in Barangay Taclobo.
APMC holds Mineral Production Sharing Agreement No. 304-2009-IVB, approved in 2009, covering 1,580.801 hectares of land. The area is approximately 3.52% of Sibuyan’s total land area of 449 square kilometers.
During a site inspection and public consultation last September, the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said the agreement with APMC remains at the exploration stage and clarified that exploration does not automatically mean it will proceed to mining an area. It said it was responding to issues raised by residents, such as social acceptability.
The locals are worried about the construction and operation of a private port and causeway and the transport of nickel ore. The anxiety reached a turning point in January 2023, when they learned that a vessel was expected and allowed to transport approximately 50,000 metric tons of nickel ore for testing overseas.
The information emerged during a community gathering in Barangay España, followed by the collective action to stop trucks transporting the ore from reaching APMC’s port. On Jan. 24, 2023, the Barikada ng Mamamayan ng Sibuyan was mounted near the company’s stockyard and transport route, with residents taking turns keeping watch and contributing food, money and other necessities to the effort.
Barely two weeks later, on Feb. 3, police broke through the barricade, allowing three trucks carrying nickel ore to pass. The Commission on Human Rights announced an investigation into possible rights violations following reports that several protesters were injured and a barangay councilor was arrested.
For Ibañez, the confrontation was frightening despite her years of activism. She recalled seeing fellow community members with torn clothes and injuries. “The people’s barricade is not about individuals; it represents all of Sibuyan,” she said.
The incident exposed the risks residents face in preventing the shipment to move. It also revealed how sustaining their effort would require not only physical presence at the barricade but also people, including women, pooling their time, resources, and support to keep the campaign going.
Vivien’s commitment
For Vivien Rios Carmona, joining the antimining movement is a commitment rooted in both her environmental convictions and her connection to Sibuyan.
A businesswoman, teacher and women’s rights advocate, Carmona described herself as a firm environmentalist. Protecting Sibuyan is not an abstract environmental cause to her. It matters to the place she calls home and the people whose lives depend on its natural resources.
She contended that environmental protection must be accompanied by viable economic opportunities for residents. “There must be an alternative way for people to earn a living,” she told CoverStory. “The real challenge is ensuring that we have livelihoods. People must be educated to understand that, no matter what happens, we must not allow Sibuyan to be mined.”
Carmona said it was possible for families of previous generations to study, work and improve their circumstances without large-scale mining as basis for their prosperity. “We were able to pursue our education and improve our lives,” she said.
Her advocacy has also firmed up amid the pressures that, she said, environmental leaders face when they speak out about contested projects. For example, she recalled, she came close to facing a cyberlibel complaint in connection with a noise barrage organized by their group.
Still, her motivation runs deep. “It is for the love of the environment,” she declared. “I believe that we are stewards of God’s creation. We have an obligation. If you ruin the environment, you are killing people.”
Veronica’s hometown roots
For Veronica Batan, the struggle is inseparable from her roots in Sibuyan and concern for her family on the island. She is now based in Metro Manila, but her ties to her hometown of San Fernando stay strong.
Batan first became involved in the antimining movement in June 2022. For her, protecting Sibuyan means protecting those she left behind—their homes, livelihoods, and connection to the land and waters that sustain them.
“Sibuyan is a very, very small island,” she said. “The people’s livelihoods depend on fishing and agriculture, but Sibuyan’s geographical landscape consists of mountains, rice fields, and the sea.”
She questioned the promise of development used to justify mining. “Mining proponents say it is for development. But mining is only temporary; it primarily benefits the capitalists,” she said.
Batan was among the residents and members of Bantay Kalikasan ng Sibuyan who filed a petition at the Supreme Court seeking a writ of kalikasan to stop the mining project, The respondents included the DENR-MGB and APMC.
On Nov. 4, 2025, the Supreme Court denied the petitioners’ motion, saying that they had not established environmental damage of the magnitude required for the extraordinary remedy. Moreover, the tribunal said, the case had become moot with the expiration of the company’s transport and export permits.
But the tribunal rejected the claim that the petitioners had been forum-shopping. More importantly, it expressly stated that its decision did not mean it condoned the environmental issues surrounding the project.
While the contributions of Batan, Ibañez and Carmona differ, they believe the stakes extend beyond the outcome of a court case. They want the next generation to experience Sibuyan’s beauty rather than bear the consequences of decisions made without sufficient regard for their future.
For residents opposed to mining, Sibuyan’s rich biodiversity and natural features are not simply attractions for visitors, but are part of the environment that supports local communities. Thus, the debate over the scale of the mining agreement adds another dimension to the issue.
The present dispute concerns both the history of activities associated with the project and what might ensue if the agreement advances.
To reiterate, residents are concerned about the construction and operation of a private port and causeway and the transport of nickel ore. In February 2023, government agencies issued notices of violation to APMC and a joint order requiring the company to cease and desist from construction and operation of the causeway.
APMC has disputed allegations that its activities were unlawful, stating that it had secured permits and licenses and had sought dialogue with the protesters. It also said it intended to minimize environmental effects and ensure that affected parties were considered in its activities.
The MGB’s statement issued last September that the agreement is still at the exploration stage did not determine that all outstanding environmental issues have been resolved. Nor does it mean that commercial mining has already begun.
Governor joins call
The residents are being supported by Gov. Trina Alejandra Firmalo-Fabic. Last Aug. 25, she joined provincial and municipal officials and representatives of environmental and community organizations in submitting a petition with some 31,000 signatures to Environment Secretary Juan Miguel Cuna.
Their petition called for the protection of Sibuyan and action on the pending request to cancel APMC’s mining agreement. According to reports, some 27,000 of the signatures came from Sibuyan, representing 77% of the island’s voting population, while another 4,000 came from Tablas Island.
For Ibañez, Carmona and Batan, such interventions matter because community resistance alone cannot determine the future of the agreement. Government agencies must assess the project, address outstanding concerns, and make decisions within their regulatory responsibilities. The involvement of local officials also underscores the need to consider the voices of communities that may be affected by decisions about their natural resources.
Recognition
Last Oct. 24, Barikada ng Mamamayan ng Sibuyan received an organizational award at the 9th Gawad Bayani ng Kalikasan ceremony at the University of the Philippines Diliman. The award honors the collective work of environmental defenders who have challenged projects they believe threaten communities and natural resources.
For Ibañez, however, the award was not the reason for traveling to Manila. “Our intention in coming here was not to receive an award, but to make the voice of the people of Sibuyan heard,” she said.
For her, the answer is not to leave Sibuyan without opportunities for progress. It is to ensure that progress does not come at the expense of the people and natural resources that make life on the island possible.
“Ipamana, huwag ipamina (Pass it on as a legacy, do not sacrifice it to mining),” she said.
Ibañez’s frustration becomes particularly sharp when fellow Sibuyanons support mining. She understands that promises of employment and economic improvement can be persuasive, especially for communities seeking better opportunities. But she questions whether those benefits would justify the potential long-term costs.
For her, development cannot be measured solely by the money a project promises to bring. It must also account for the land, water and livelihoods that residents depend on, as well as the resources available to future generations.
She is skeptical of assurances that damaged environments can always be restored. “The mountains protect us,” she said, describing them as a natural shield for the community. CS
Nicole Faith Montiel is a second-year communication student at the National University in Manila. She describes herself as a musician and human rights advocate whose interests lie in navigating the human psyche, music, and social justice.
