Manila, Philippines — International groups have raised alarm over what it described as the “interconnected crises of corruption, militarization, and climate injustice” affecting rural and Indigenous communities across the Philippines.
The International Learning and Solidarity Mission (ILSM), organized by Peoples’ Rising for Climate Justice, released its report following a five-day visit to four provinces: Rizal, Occidental Mindoro, Leyte, and Negros Occidental. The independent mission documented land grabbing, forced displacement, and environmental destruction allegedly tied to both government projects and private corporations.
In Negros Occidental, the delegation investigated the 6,652-hectare palm oil expansion of HAPI Inc., owned by the Consunji family. The project, operating under a DENR forest management agreement, has reportedly displaced more than 350 small farmers and Indigenous residents, clearing forests and polluting rivers. Workers said they earn as little as ₱480 a day under unsafe and heavily surveilled conditions. The mission urged the cancellation of HAPI’s Integrated Forest Management Agreement and the withdrawal of military units deployed in the area.
“Since 2021, HAPI Inc. has seized over 6,000 ha of indigenous land, initially banning food and sugarcane crops, and in four years has already cleared 4,000 ha—averaging nearly three hectares per day” said Ayik Casilao of Unyon ng mga Manggagawa sa Agrikultura.
“Farmers report dozens of bulldozers flattening fields within hours, underscoring the massive, cold‑hearted corporate push behind the Candoni oil‑palm plantation.”
In Leyte, the group flagged the ₱1.2-billion Cancabato Bay Causeway project awarded to Sunwest Construction and Development Corp., a firm linked to former congressman Zaldy Co, who resigned amid corruption allegations. The company reportedly received over ₱6 billion in public works contracts under the Romualdez-controlled districts. Local residents warned that the project has already damaged marine ecosystems in the bay.
“Instead of building a massively expensive causeway and land reclamation that is detrimental for the fishing community and dangerous in relation to typhoons, the mangroves should be cherished and restored for the important role that they play.” said Gijs from the Friends of the Filipino People in Struggle.
“With an increase in extreme weather and typhoons, this natural protection is more important than ever.”
In Occidental Mindoro, delegates reported police and military surveillance while visiting the Mangyan-Iraya community of Sitio Malatabako, who face displacement due to land claims by Pieceland Corp. Residents said a food blockade imposed by the company has caused hunger and even the death of one Indigenous woman. Pieceland has filed criminal cases against residents under the Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act (IPRA).
“We came not as outsiders but as witnesses to see their hardships and stand beside them in their struggle for land, justice, and dignity,” said Damien Connor of Kalikasan Solidarity Organization, sharing his experience on visiting Occidental Mindoro.
“Seeing the Mangyan-Iraya be deprived of their rights fills me with anger. Even in the face of fear and harassment, these communities continue to burn bright with courage and hope.”
In Rizal, the mission documented the ongoing displacement of Dumagat-Remontado communities caused by the Kaliwa Dam project, financed by China Energy Engineering Corp. The dam is expected to flood 113 hectares of forest and affect more than 1,400 families by 2027.
“The very law [Indigenous Peoples Rights Act] that’s supposed to protect the community of the Dumagat-Remontado is being used against them. The situation that the indigenous peoples face in the Philippines is not so far from my home country [India], land and environmental defenders face threats, harassment, and intimidation for fighting for their right to land and life.” Sharanya Nayak of Indigenous People’s Land, Life, and Knowledge Collective
“These communities are living proof that corruption and militarization deepen the climate crisis,” said Rachelle Junsay, spokesperson of Peoples’ Rising for Climate Justice. “Public funds and power are being used to displace the very people protecting our lands and forests.”
The mission urges the government—and the international community—to cancel harmful agreements, withdraw security forces from peasant and indigenous communities, redirect public funds toward climate‑resilient infrastructure and ecosystem restoration, and hold corrupt officials and corporations accountable. Only by confronting these intertwined threats can the Philippines protect its Indigenous peoples, preserve its environment, and build genuine climate resilience. #
(Photo from Altermidya)