19 November 2018

"OceanaGold Philippines Inc.’s (OceanaGold) response to the Business and Human RightsResource Center (November 19, 2018) does not address, let alone refute, the critical findings in our October 31 Report: OceanaGold in the Philippines: Ten Violations that Should Prompt Its Removal.

Further Evidence of Ongoing Harm Supports our Report’s Findings:

...1.   The mine does not have a social license to operate, nor the Free Prior and Informed Consent of the Indigenous Peoples in Didipio. ...[R]esidents...expressed frustration at the OceanaGold’s lack of responsiveness to their concerns....

2. Depletion of groundwater. ...[W]ells have run dry, residents now need to pay for water services or buy bottled water for drinking and cooking....

3. Contamination of surface water. Residents spoke about the contamination of rivers around the mine making the water no longer suitable for irrigation as rice crops die when irrigated with the contaminated water. 

4. Failure to comply with commitments made in a 2013 Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the community....

5. Labour rights. ...[T]he mine has reduced its labour force by firing workers over the age of 50. Some...are being re-hired only as contract workers....

6. Security. ...[R]esidents voiced concerns that OceanaGold has failed to publicly condemn this dangerous targeting of individuals and organizations, including from Didipio, who are known to speak out in defense of environmental and human rights. "