Company cites completed consent process
MANKAYAN, Benguet, Philippines — Crescent Mining and Development Corporation (CMDC) today reaffirmed that its current activities in Mankayan are limited to exploration drilling under duly issued government permits, and renewed its invitation to community leaders to resolve outstanding concerns through dialogue.
Exploration, not mining
The work now underway is exploration drilling under CMDC’s Exploration Work Program approved by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau on August 28, 2025. The program’s sole purpose is to gather geological data for a pre-feasibility study — to determine whether future development of the deposit is feasible. No ore is being extracted, no land is being excavated beyond narrow patches land for drill pads, and no mineral processing is taking place. Drilling is confined to specific, limited sites within the tenement; it does not involve the entire 533.4-hectare area.
Should studies eventually show that development is feasible, mining could not simply proceed. Further negotiations with the community, endorsements from local government units, an Environmental Compliance Certificate, and additional government approvals would all be required. The Environmental Impact Assessment study which is required to be conducted in this period was also postponed.
CMDC also confirmed that open-pit mining is not being considered at any stage. The deposit’s depth and geometry make it unsuitable for open-pit methods; studies to date indicate.
A completed, NCIP-supervised consent process
CMDC’s Mineral Production Sharing Agreement (MPSA No. 057-96-CAR), originally granted in 1996, was renewed by the DENR in March 2022 for a second 25-year term, on the condition that a Certification Precondition be obtained from the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP).
That condition has been fulfilled. The Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) process — initiated in October 2021 and facilitated by the NCIP over nearly four years — included community assemblies in all twelve barangays of the Mankayan ancestral domain, conducted twice per barangay, followed by a decision-making stage completed in August 2024 under rules agreed at the outset: one vote per barangay, simple majority. A majority of barangays voted in favor. A Memorandum of Agreement between CMDC and the Mankayan Ancestral Domain was signed on December 18, 2024, and the NCIP Commission En Banc — after separately hearing the barangays that voted no — approved the issuance of a Certification Precondition under CEB Resolution No. 2025-10-09-051. The CP was signed by the NCIP Chairperson on September 29, 2025.
CMDC acknowledges that a petition questioning the CP is pending before the NCIP, filed in April 2026, and respects that process. The company is confident in the integrity of the FPIC undertaken.
A record of restraint and engagement
When the Municipal Mayor issued a Cease and Desist Order in October 2025, CMDC voluntarily complied and suspended activities while the issues raised were addressed. Following written advice from MGB-CAR (November 2025) and the Anti-Red Tape Authority (December 2025) that the order fell outside LGU jurisdiction over a validly permitted exploration period, the Mayor repealed the CDO through Executive Order No. 21, Series of 2026, on April 4, 2026. CMDC has continued to seek dialogue, including a meeting with municipal and barangay officials in the months following the issuance of the CDO from Mayor Cesar Pasiwen until June 16, 2026 where they announced that they will resume the drilling activities.
During the June 16 dialogue some participants even urged the company to go ahead with the plan.
Environmental safeguards during drilling
Even at the exploration stage, CMDC implements site-specific environmental controls: lined drill pads and mud pits that contain drilling fluids and cuttings; collection and storage of topsoil for restoration; hole sealing in accordance with MGB guidelines; regular water, air, and noise quality testing; and full rehabilitation of drill sites — previous sites have been returned to landowners and are again productive farmland.
The company also planted 6,000 to 7,000 benguet pine trees, coffee, and bamboo seedlings annually across Guinaoang, Bulalacao, and neighboring barangays. Drill sites are documented, and CMDC welcomes community observers to verify that activities remain within the approved exploration scope.
Respect for community concerns
CMDC recognizes that some residents of Barangays Bulalacao and Guinaoang hold genuine concerns about the project’s potential impact on farmlands, water, and livelihoods. The company takes these concerns seriously. As a commitment to allay the fears of the community, CMDC, through its President, Engr. Ronnie Siapno executed an affidavit of undertaking that was attached to the Certification Precondition and the Memorandum of Agreement with the Indigenous People of Mankayan. (Press Release)
About CMDC: Crescent Mining and Development Corporation holds MPSA No. 057-96-CAR covering 533.4 hectares in Mankayan, Benguet, renewed for a second 25-year term to 2046. CMDC is affiliated with Blackstone Minerals Ltd (ASX:BSX).
