Mindanao is widely regarded as the “land of promise” in the Philippines due to its rich natural resources and untapped potential. It was a frontier land that received waves of migrants as a result of the resettlement program of the Commonwealth government during the American occupation. But as years went by, it seemed to have remained that, a land of promises.
Through the years the island has been home to humanitarian crisis and armed conflict. Some are caused by ethnic undertones while others are brought by response to exploitation facilitated by extractive industries. These kinds of events have been the theme at which Mindanao reached the headlines of Philippine news networks. Plantations and mining companies project themselves as the bastion of progress. One of the prime examples of these is the San Roque Metals Inc. which won the highest mining award for surface mining in late 2017 located in Tubay, Agusan del Norte. The Municipality of Tubay is also home to another award-winning mining company in the Agata Mining Ventures, who won awards for consecutive years. Both have become vital part of the municipality’s economy.
Tubay-Agusan-del-Norte-Profile Source: PhilAtlas