By Rachel Magday

 

NUEVA VIZCAYA, Philippines — “We reject destructive mining in Nueva Vizcaya because it causes massive excavation, land instability, and exploits local communities,” Saint Mary’s University (SMU) of Bayombong said in a statement posted on its Facebook page.

The Catholic university also condemned corruption, calling it “evil in every shape or manner” because it destroys public trust, weakens government offices, and breeds cynicism and hopelessness. SMU linked environmental harm to corrupt practices, saying the misuse of natural resources, mining, and pollution violate ancestral lands and the rights of Indigenous peoples who have long cared for the Watershed Haven of Cagayan Valley in Nueva Vizcaya.

The school said its stand follows Catholic teaching, citing Pope Francis’ Laudato si’ and the Bible verse, “God looked at everything he had made, and found it very good” (Genesis 1:31).

Issued in communion with the Diocese of Bayombong, the Board of Trustees, the administration, employees, students, and alumni, the statement said SMU will speak out against corruption, oppose destructive mining in the province, work with government leaders and communities on environmental education to promote ethical governance, and carry out sustainable practices to keep governance transparent, protect human rights, and care for the environment for the long term.

Saint Mary’s University is a Catholic school in Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya. For almost 100 years, it has served the province and the Cagayan Valley, educating hundreds of thousands of students and graduates. Its mission is to form Christian disciples and to promote a healthy learning environment, human development, and care for creation.

The university ended its statement with a prayer to Blessed Virgin Mary for guidance and protection as it works to build communities where love, justice, and peace prevail.