BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya, May 8(PIA) – Barangay officials from three upland towns here recently sought the help of provincial officials inorder to stop the on-going exploration activities of a mining company here.

Through a dialogue, village officials, along with community organizations asked provincial officials, headed by incumbent vice governor Jose Gambito to temporarily stop the movement of drilling equipments of Royalco Mining Company(RMC) that are attempting to enter the neighboring villages through the road in barangay Yabbi in Dupax del Sur town.

“We should first have a dialogue with the mining company officials because several conditions of our previous agreement have not been addressed yet,” said barangay councilor Florence Payaki of barangay Yabbi.

She was referring to the Memorandum of Agreement(MOA) signed between the mining-affected barangays of Yabbi in Dupax del Sur town and Kakiduguen, Pao, Bioy, Catarawan, Muta, Seguiem and Dine in Kasibu town, including other barangays of Dupax del Norte town.

The MOA which was signed in 2010 contained the projects to be established and completed by the RMC such as farm-to-market roads, irrigation systems and hanging bridges, among others.

The village officials also complained of armed security guards of the mining company, sowing fear among the tribal communities of Bugkalot and Igorot tribe.

The villagers also claimed that the mining companies, RMC, Oxceana Mining Company(OMC) and Buena Suerte Mining Company(BSMC) were being represented by the same mining personnel.

Vice governor Gambito said they will immediately inquire from the Mines and GeoSciences Bureau (MGB) regarding the status of the three companies inorder to clarify and guide their actions to address the growing misunderstanding between the tribes and the mining firms.

“This will be our first move so that we will know whom to talk with and what actions to do. Rest assured of our assistance for all of you,” he said.

Through the assistance of Gambito, the villagers also proceeded to the Provincial Police Office(PPO) to seek the assistance of the police officials by ensuring their safety and security in their respective communities in the wake of the alleged armed security guards of the mining companies.