More than 50 people staged what they described as a ‘peaceful protest’ in Barangay Macambol, Mati City, Davao Oriental on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, to oppose the reported proposal to renew a mining company’s operations within the area’s ancestral domain.

According to the provincial government, the protesters included private landowners, members of Indigenous Peoples (IP) communities, religious groups, fisherfolk, farmers, purok leaders, and other concerned sectors.

Organizers said the protest was launched in response to the mining company’s reported application for a 25-year renewal of its mining operations.

The provincial government said the protesters underscored the ongoing Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) process, stressing that affected indigenous cultural communities have the right to grant or deny consent to the proposed renewal.

During the mass demonstration, protesters carried “No to Mining” posters to call for the protection of the environment, particularly the ancestral domain’s proximity to the UNESCO World Heritage Site Mount Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary and the ecologically significant Pujada Bay.

Protesters urged the preservation of these natural resources for future generations.

Authorities were deployed to the area to ensure that the activity remained peaceful, orderly, and respectful of the rights of all stakeholders involved.