ITOGON, Benguet—For generations, the town of Itogon has been defined by mining. Gold, gravel, and the scars of mineral extraction have shaped both its landscape and its economy. But in a 10-hectare patch of forest that was once a logging concession, a different story is beginning to unfold. Opened in February 2025, Mt. Camisong Forest...
Author: Kimberlie Quitasol
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Vegetable farmers in Benguet feel the crunch from fuel price increases
LA TRINIDAD, Benguet — PJ Haight has taken to siphoning diesel from his vehicle into a water pump that will irrigate the family’s farmland these days, as prices of fuel and other inputs soar, straining available fuel supply and agricultural yields in Benguet. Haight and other upland vegetable growers in Atok, a third-class municipality in...
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Indigenous folk say no to gold mining firm’s expansion in Benguet town
ITOGON, Benguet—Indigenous residents are resisting plans by Itogon-Suyoc Resources Inc. (ISRI), a big gold mining company, to expand its operations to more than six times its concession area in their town, warning of possible harmful effects on the environment. On Tuesday, Jan. 27, more than a hundred protesters and their supporters gathered outside the Itogon...
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After five years, imprisoned student activist Amanda Echanis acquitted and freed
BAGUIO CITY–A Tuguegarao City court has acquitted student activist Amanda Socorro Echanis of illegal possession of firearms and explosives, citing major flaws in the police search that led to her arrest and five-year detention. In a ruling dated Dec. 27, 2025, and promulgated last Jan. 14, Regional Trial Court Branch 10 Judge Racquel Reyes-Aglaua also said...
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Rights groups denounce arrest of Cordillera labor leader
BAGUIO CITY—Police arrested labor leader and folk musician Michael “Mike” Cabangon at his home in Baguio City on Dec. 27 on a charge of terrorism financing, according to the Cordillera Human Rights Alliance (CHRA). Cabangon, spokesperson of the Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) Cordillera and an advocate for workers’ and transport rights, was served a warrant...
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Probe of ex-public works official Catalina Cabral’s mysterious death continues
EDITOR’S NOTE: This article includes mention of suicide. Those in distress may call the phone numbers listed at the end of the report. BAGUIO CITY—The mysterious death of former public works undersecretary Catalina Cabral has prompted growing concern over the handling of evidence by police and the transparency of the investigation. Cabral was discovered unconscious...