NUEVA VIZCAYA, Philippines — Amid the controversy over Woogle Corporation’s mining exploration in Barangay Bitnong, Dupax del Norte, Rep. Timothy Joseph E. Cayton reiterated that his proposed measure declaring all watersheds in Nueva Vizcaya as protected areas would pave the way to halt mining applications across the province.

The bill is among the first he filed upon assuming office in July.

“We will not let our guards down. We will stand firm. We will continue to protect and defend Nueva Vizcaya—our home, our heritage, our future,” Cayton said in a Facebook post, calling it his “solemn duty” to safeguard residents’ welfare and the environment. “I am writing this once and for all—to confront an issue that has divided our people and our province. Because this is not the Nueva Vizcaya I envision.”

Filed as House Bill No. 4502, the “Nueva Vizcaya as Watershed Haven Enhanced Protection Act” seeks to declare all provincial watersheds as protected areas, establishing what Cayton describes as “a Watershed Haven Protected Nueva Vizcaya” that “places water, forests, and people first.”

“This measure is a legal act and declaration of identity and purpose. It reflects who we are as Novo Vizcayanos and what we stand for as stewards of our land and guardians of our future,” he said.

The late former Environment Secretary Gina Lopez argued that mining should not be allowed in watersheds, saying, “The money that people want to make, and the gold and nickel they want to get cannot and must not be more important than the quality of life of the people,” a view Cayton cited in backing his bill.

He also pointed to the Philippine Mining Act of 1995 (Republic Act No. 7942), noting that the law vests mineral resources in the State and mandates development and conservation that protect the environment and affected communities. “Section 19 provides for areas closed to mining application, one of which is watershed. This provision is the legal basis for our cry of ‘No to mining!’” Cayton said.

Framing the measure as part of a broader agenda for a “Brand New Nueva Vizcaya,” Cayton said progress should be defined by conservation, sustainable livelihoods, and community empowerment—“a future rooted in protection, regeneration, and social justice—one that uplifts communities, not exploits them; where development empowers, not harms.”

He urged constituents to trust the legislative process and continue their support as the bill advances in Congress, asking the public to back and pray for its passage. By Rachel Magday