The inhabitants of the municipality of Dupax del Norte in Nueva Viscaya have been living off the abundant natural resources: gold-rich mountains, clean rivers, fertile agricultural lands and thick forests. But the area is seen as a treasure trove for imperialist plunder, with the government’s bureaucrat capitalists promoting the sale of the country’s resources to the highest bidders and lining their pockets in the process.

In August 2025, the Mines and Geosciences Bureau granted an exploration permit to Woggle Mining Corp to study the minerals that could be extracted from the town. The company, which is a subsidiary of the British company Metals Exploration Plc. planned to cover 3,102 hectares in their exploration project, which includes land tilled by small farmers and indigenous families. As early as August 4, the company began excavating without permission or consultation with the community regarding its activities.

For five months, since September 2025, the residents of Dupax del Norte have put up a fierce struggle against the exploitation of their land and livelihood. They put up barricades on their land to block the company’s large machines from passing through, temporarily halting the planned operations.

A court order issued in October 2025 called for the dismantling of the barricades, but residents resisted, asserting that the company’s exploration permit was invalid as it failed to comply with the required conducting of consultations with the residents.

On December 12, 2025 Woggle Corp personnel stormed the barricades. Colluding with the Philippine National Police, they threatened, harrassed, and insulted the residents manning the barricade and destroyed their belongings, even attempting to force two female residents to undress. They seized cellphones and IDs of the residents, and attempted to steal a generator, two gas tanks, a solar panel, a stove and various other items. When the residents tried to assert their rights, police officers aimed their guns at them.

On January 23, 2026 the Philippine National Police once again violently stormed the barricade and dismantled it, arresting seven residents in the process.

Church leaders, environmental groups, human rights advocates and indigenous peoples’ organizations spoke up in solidarity with the residents, criticizing not just the violent dispersal by the police, but also the allowance of an operation that would destroy the environment and livelihood of the residents. “Despite their pleas for help from those in power, despite their repeated appeals to the court for what they are fighting for, what they received was silence, indifference, and favor given to Woggle Mining Corporation,” said Catholic Bishop Jose Elmer I. Mangalinao.

Environmental coalition Kalikasan People’s Network for the Environment staged a protest outside the Department of Environment and Natural Resources central office in Quezon City, denouncing the agency’s complicity in mining operations and linking the Dupax del Norte case to the mining projects in nearby towns that have resulted in water depletion, environmental damage, and social conflict.

Thanks to the bravery of the residents and the widespread condemnation of the planned mining explorations, including a protest organized by Migrante United Kingdom, International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP)- Britain, and London Philippine Solidarity at the office of Woggle Corp’s parent company in London, the case against the seven arrested residents has been dismissed.

However, the struggle against Woggle Corp project is far from over, and as long as our country continues to be exploited and abused by foreign capital, as long as the Philippine government continues to pander to imperialist interests, it will never be over.