Surigao town torn between jobs, mining crackdown

In Barobo, Surigao del Sur, Caraga region, small-scale gold mining has long been a means of survival for many families where jobs are scarce and farming alone often cannot provide enough to support a household. But as manual gold panning has gradually given way to mechanized extraction using heavy equipment, the line between subsistence mining and illegal commercial operations has become increasingly blurred, placing local officials and law enforcement agencies at odds over how the problem should be addressed. That tension came into focus on June 27 and June 28 when personnel from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)-13, its attached agencies, and the Police Regional Office-13 raided suspected illegal mining sites in the villages of Bahi and Mamis. Three people were arrested and authorities seized an estimated P7.1 million worth of equipment, including a backhoe, water pumps, chainsaws, hoses, and other mining tools. Authorities said the operation was based on verified reports that mining activities had expanded beyond manual extraction into organized, mechanized operations allegedly backed by financiers. Barobo Mayor Ronnie Martizano, however, questioned the operation over the alleged lack of prior coordination with the municipal government. Regional authorities disputed the claim, saying the raid was part of an ongoing campaign against illegal mining across the Caraga region. Martizano has repeatedly opposed large-scale illegal mining, particularly the use of backhoes near riverbanks, and survived an ambush in February that was believed to be linked to his anti-illegal mining campaign. At the same time, he has supported allowing limited manual gold panning and sluicing in several villages while Barobo awaits approval of its proposed Minahang Bayan (people’s mining area), recognizing that many families rely on mining to make ends meet. Environment authorities, meanwhile, said the recent operation showed that some activities had gone well beyond subsistence mining, with heavy equipment accelerating extraction and increasing damage to riverbanks, farmlands, and water systems. Illegal mining has long challenged Barobo. Earlier operations in Barangay Tambis left open pits and damaged farms and roads, while officials from neighboring Hinatuan warned that sedimentation and mining waste could eventually affect downstream communities and the Hinatuan Enchanted River. According to Brig. Gen. Marcial Mariano Magistrado IV, Police Regional Office-13 director, the crackdown is part of continuing efforts to stop illegal mining and protect critical watersheds. For many residents, however, the issue goes beyond law enforcement. While some welcome stronger action against destructive mining, others said small-scale mining remains one of the few ways to feed their families. Residents Shan Alvizo Zarate and Ergie Macheca Ontua also urged authorities to target financiers and operators of large-scale illegal mining rather than poor miners trying to earn a living. INQ