“REPORMA Ngayon, Ligtas na Pagmimina Bukas (Reforms Today, Safe Mining Tomorrow)!”
This was the resounding call of more than 200 representatives from 59 small-scale gold mining organizations across the country as they concluded the Seventh Assembly of the National Coalition of Small-Scale Miners in the Philippines, Inc. (NCSSMPI). Delegates came all the way from CAR (Cordillera Administrative Region), Regions XIII Caraga, Region XII Soccsksargen, Region XI Davao de Oro, Region V Camarines Norte for a three-day event held in Sagada, Mountain Province, from April 26–28, 2026.
The assembly saw learning exchanges on best environmentally sound small-scale mining practices and capacity-building activities. It also served as a venue to discuss plans to intensify their campaign for the passage of House Bill 5840, or the “Minahang Bayan Act,” which seeks to revise the three-decade-old People’s Small-Scale Mining Act of 1991 or Republic Act 7076.
According to Josephine Balonga, NCSSMPI president, RA 7076 no longer aligns with current conditions and has hindered rather than enabled the growth, formalization, and sustainability of the small-scale mining industry. “Small-scale miners are a vital part of the national economy. Our sector contributes nearly 75% of the country’s total gold production. With the right support and recognition, we have the potential to do even more.”
The Philippines is the 5th largest gold producer in Asia, with around 500,000 small-scale gold miners working in over 30 provinces. Despite their significant contributions, they remain among the poorest labor sectors, with millions more indirectly relying on the industry for their livelihoods. According to Balonga, the complex and bureaucratic process for declaring Minahang Bayan Zones and securing permits under the current law has forced most miners to operate informally without legal or technical support.
“Legal barriers, costly formalization, limited contract validity, and red tape prevent miners from operating legally and profitably. The absence of social safety nets worsens unsafe working conditions and deepens social inequalities. Meanwhile, local government units lack the capacity to adequately support miners,” Balonga said.
The proposed Minahang Bayan Act simplifies application and licensing processes to reduce red tape and boost formalization. It empowers local mining regulatory boards to declare and manage Minahang Bayan Zones in consultation with local governments, communities, and Indigenous Peoples, while enforcing safety laws and banning hazardous practices like mercury use. The bill, authored by the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) Partylist, was filed in November last year.
Meanwhile, environmental organization BAN Toxics, which serves as the secretariat of the Coalition, highlighted how limited access to and support for mercury-free technology in small-scale gold mining have fueled black market trading and the rampant use of highly toxic mercury. “The government should prioritize funding and promoting mercury-free technologies to create an enabling environment for sustainable mining practices,” said Arleen Honrade, head of BAN Toxics’ Community Development Unit and Secretary of the Coalition.
Through the Minahang Bayan Act, BAN Toxics stresses the importance of a just transition for small-scale miners. This means ensuring that stricter mercury regulations are not weaponized against miners and that the government provides the necessary support to access safer technologies and alternative livelihoods. By doing so, the shift to mercury-free mining will remain environmentally sound and ensure decent work for mining communities.
During the assembly, BAN Toxics and the NCSSMPI launched the Compassionate Gold Project for Benguet and Mountain Province. With funding support from Danish NGO Diálogos, the project aims to advance the formalization of small-scale gold miners in three key areas and support their transition to mercury-free gold mining. In the longer term, the target communities will serve as a model for other small-scale gold mining communities in the Philippines in transitioning to responsible and formalized mining practices. Project outcomes include the formulation of a national implementation plan for phasing out mercury in small-scale gold mining and a national advocacy strategy for formalization.
