During the media forum on transition materials today, 14 October 2024 at B Hotel, Scout Rallos St., Quezon City organized by the SOS Yamang Bayan Network renewed its call to pass the Alternative Minerals Management Bill. This event marks the start of the Mining Hell Week organized by Alyansa Tigil Mina (ATM) and its members. This year’s Mining Hell Week theme, “Digging Deeper: Exposing Death and Destruction of Mining”, seeks to uncover the harsh realities of mining and amplify the voices of those most affected.

This forum presents an alternative perspective, offering a counter-narrative that highlights marginalized voices and promotes sustainable practices. This is in parallel with the 10th session of Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (APMCDRR) scheduled from 14-15 October 2024 in Manila, Philippines.

Civil society representatives and community leaders from Palawan, Surigao del Sur, South Cotabato, and Sibuyan Island joined the forum to share their experiences with transition minerals extraction, including nickel and copper mining. They discussed the urgent need for a just and equitable minerals transition.

Photos courtesy of Legal Rights and Natural Resources Center, Inc. – Friends of the Earth Philippines (Kasama sa Kalikasan).