National Coalition of Small Scale Miners in the Philippines, Inc.

03/02/2026

SAVE THE DATE

29/11/2025

The member association of NCSSMPI in Bicol Region, the 𝐌𝐀𝐆𝐊𝐀𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐀𝐎 𝐒𝐌𝐀𝐋𝐋-𝐒𝐂𝐀𝐋𝐄 𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐑𝐒 𝐀𝐒𝐒𝐎𝐂𝐈𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐀𝐓𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐒 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐃𝐈𝐎𝐂𝐄𝐒𝐀𝐍 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐆𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐒 𝐎𝐍 𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐋 𝐄𝐂𝐎𝐋𝐎𝐆𝐘
At the Ecological Congress, 𝐁𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐩 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐀𝐛𝐜𝐞𝐝𝐞 reminded us: we are stewards, we are accountable, and we are responsible. The earth is God’s gift—hindi bodega ng yaman ng iilan, but a home entrusted to our care.

This message echoes strongly in the ongoing efforts of the 𝐌𝐚𝐠𝐤𝐚𝐦𝐭𝐚𝐚𝐨 𝐒𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐥-𝐒𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐞 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, who 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐩𝐬 𝐭𝐨𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲-𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠. Their initiatives—𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭, 𝐬𝐚𝐟𝐞𝐫 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐝𝐬, 𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐞-𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐞𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬s—show that development and care for creation can go hand in hand.
But the work doesn’t stop with them. Lahat tayo may papel. 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝𝐬, 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬, 𝐮𝐩𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐡𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐟𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭 𝐚 𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐢𝐧 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞.
Let us support and strengthen local initiatives like Magkamtao’s, push for transparency, and commit to ecological responsibility in every decision we make. Together, we safeguard our common home.

Photo Courtesy: Camarines Norte Provincial Information Office

24/11/2025

𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐌𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐲-𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐀𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐥-𝐒𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐞 𝐆𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠⁣⁣
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The National Coalition of Small-Scale Miners of the Philippines, Inc. (NCSSMPI), the DENR–Mines and Geosciences Bureau (DENR-MGB), and the Artisanal Gold Council (AGC) have signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) today to formalize their collaboration on the implementation of the National Action Plan (NAP) for the artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) sector.⁣⁣
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The MOA aims to reinforce cooperation among the three key stakeholders with the objective of reducing and eliminating mercury use in ASGM operations, promoting environmentally sound technologies, advancing the formalization of ASGM communities, strengthening data-driven decision-making and policy development, and supporting the development of the NAP through participatory data collection.⁣⁣
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The implementation of the NAP for ASGM is part of the government’s obligations under the Minamata Convention on Mercury, a global treaty that protects human health and the environment from the harmful effects of mercury.⁣⁣
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The coalition fully supports the NAP’s goal of phasing out mercury in ASGM within a rights-based, just transition framework, ensuring that the shift to mercury-free mining is environmentally sound while securing decent and dignified work for small-scale mining communities.⁣⁣
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Recently, NCSSMPI, with the support of the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) Partylist and BAN Toxics, filed House Bill No. 5840, which seeks to update the existing people’s small-scale mining law to promote decent work, environmental justice, mercury-free small-scale gold mining, and inclusive local development aligned with international labor and environmental standards.⁣⁣
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#𝘔𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘔𝘦𝘳𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘺𝘏𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 #𝘔𝘦𝘳𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘺𝘍𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘔𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨⁣⁣⁣
#𝘔𝘦𝘳𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘺𝘍𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘈𝘚𝘎𝘔 #𝘑𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘛𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯⁣⁣⁣

06/11/2025

10/10/2025

𝐁𝐀𝐍 𝐓𝐨𝐱𝐢𝐜𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐥-𝐒𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐞 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬’ 𝐂𝐨𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐇𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐧 𝐌𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐲 𝐏𝐡𝐚𝐬𝐞-𝐎𝐮𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐀𝐒𝐆𝐌⁣
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Environmental NGO BAN Toxics recently held a consultation with officers of the National Coalition of Small-Scale Miners of the Philippines, Inc. (NCSSMPI) on the proposal to the Minamata Convention to set a phase-out date for the use of mercury in the artisanal small-scale gold mining (ASGM) sector.⁣
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Currently, the Minamata Convention, a global treaty to protect human health and the environment from the adverse effects of mercury, does not yet establish such a deadline for ASGM. At the upcoming 6th Conference of the Parties (COP-6), taking place on November 3–7, 2025, civil society organizations, including BAN Toxics and IPEN, will push for the adoption of a clear phase-out date.⁣
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The consultation highlighted the need to ensure that the phase-out of mercury in ASGM is guided by a rights-based, just transition framework, recognizing that mercury use in the sector is largely driven by poverty, limited capacities, and lack of access to safer technologies.⁣
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A rights-based, just transition framework is essential to prevent the displacement of miners, dispossession, criminalization, human rights abuses, extortion, and other adverse economic impacts on vulnerable groups in the sector. It should also provide for meaningful local and community participation, draw on local and indigenous knowledge in resource management and sector development, and reject one-size-fits-all approaches. Equally important is the promotion and support of affordable and accessible mercury-free technologies and practices, particularly those suited to the most impoverished segments of the ASGM sector.⁣
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The NCSSMPI officers recognized the importance of setting a phase-out date for mercury use in ASGM, but stressed that this must go hand in hand with tackling the global mercury trade, which is the source of mercury in the country. They also emphasized the need for strong government support through capacity-building, expanded access to mercury-free technologies and practices, livelihood and job creation, and the amendment of Republic Act 7076 or the People’s Small-Scale Mining Act, which has hindered the formalization of small-scale miners.⁣
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According to BAN Toxics, there are about 500,000 small-scale gold miners across more than 30 provinces, with millions more indirectly depending on the industry for their livelihoods. The sector accounts for nearly 75 percent of the country’s total gold production. With adequate support and proper recognition, small-scale miners have the potential to help build a stronger and more self-reliant national industry.⁣
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#𝘔𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘔𝘦𝘳𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘺𝘏𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 #𝘔𝘦𝘳𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘺𝘍𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘔𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨⁣
#𝘔𝘦𝘳𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘺𝘍𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘈𝘚𝘎𝘔 #𝘑𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘛𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯⁣
#𝘙𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴𝘉𝘢𝘴𝘦𝘥𝘈𝘱𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘢𝘤𝘩

26/09/2025

Ang FPIC ay isang napakahaba at napaka mahal na proseso sa pagkamit ng small-scale mining contract. Bilang mga responsableng mga minero na mga miyembro ng ICC/IP sa kanilang lugar, ang Maguan Clan Small Scale Miners Association, Inc. ay ginawa nila eto upang bigyan ng respeto at halaga ang lahat ng tao sa kanilang komunidad.




FREE PRIOR INFORMED CONSENT (FPIC)
Free: Consent must be given voluntarily, without any form of force, threat, manipulation, or intimidation.
Prior: Consent is sought and given well in advance of any authorization or commencement of the activity, allowing sufficient time for consultation and consensus-building.
Informed: All necessary information about the nature, scope, pace, duration, and potential impacts (both positive and negative) of the proposed activity is provided in an understandable way.
Consent: The ultimate decision rests with the Indigenous community, which has the right to approve or reject the proposed activity, and their decision must be honored
PURPOSE OF FPIC
Self-determination: FPIC is rooted in the fundamental right of Indigenous Peoples to self-determination and to control their own development.
Bottom-up Participation: It establishes bottom-up participation and consultation to ensure Indigenous communities are actively involved in decision-making processes that affect them.
Protecting Rights and Lands: It aims to protect the rights, territories, and resources of Indigenous Peoples from negative impacts of external projects, preventing exploitation or adverse consequences.
Culturally Appropriate Engagement: It promotes respectful and culturally appropriate engagement to build trust and ensure well-informed decisions are made.

26/09/2025

Ang mga Officers and Members ng NCSSMPI lubos na nagpapasalamat sa Auro Resources Trading Inc. sa suporta sa ating mga Ka Minero mula Luzon, Visayas at Mindanao. Simula sa pagtulong na magkaroon ng miners insurance, pagbili ng ginto sa mataas na presyo na diretso sa kaban ng Bayan sa BSP at iba pang mga serbisyo sa ikabubuti ng ating mga Minero at paglago ng sektor ng maliitang pagmimina. Maraming salamat po.
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=122186740280335161&set=a.122156950802335161&__cft__[0]=AZVfsj9yxCAqcGQTXac__2hkl9Jc_wYIuqxrcK9gZBwHTZFXx1aAmTf4TtiKkwGMk9lBS3v653ejmYdCUPxpWiIHJEbStpQm4teEnnGf1Y59wp5bn46uSH4m4TABkWAjiniLFLqs1v4QmW8Z9cfaq2EAJ6IBj9zPuSDC7OB3_psJCg&__tn__=EH-R

Maraming salamat sa ating partners na SSM sa Labo, Camarines Norte!

We look forward to collaborating and contributing to community development efforts for small-scale miners in Labo.

25/09/2025

Strengthening communities of small-scale miners through Basic Occupational Safety and Health (BOSH) for Safety Officers 2.
By equipping small-scale miners with essential knowledge on occupational safety and health, we’re not only protecting lives but also fostering resilient communities where sustainable mining practices can thrive. Together, we embrace a culture of safety and health—because every miner deserves to go home safe.




-REU5

23/09/2025

Ang Responsableng Maliitang Pagmimina ay binibigyang halaga ang Occupational Safety and Health ng mga manggagawa sa loob at labas ng minahan. Maraming salamat DOLE Region 5 sa inyong suporta sa libreng pa training sa ating mga Ka Minero sa Camarines Norte.




https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid0K7Fh8atJrKfxEXVRagvL2ckrbdwey8kFS2ua8m9wKpj6K1MM9CtzafVNpukWzMyel&id=100064868822889&mibextid=Nif5oz

22/09/2025

Minahang Bayanihan! pagpupugay sa ating mga ka Minero na mga miyembro ng Benguet Federation of Small-Scale Miners sa kanilang clean and green activities at bayanihan sa pag gawa ng temporary foot bridge para makadaan ang mga batang mag-aaral sa kanilang lugar.

19/09/2025