Haribon Foundation features women in the book “STORIES from the MINES… of struggle, sisterhood and solidarity” released by Alyansa Tigil Mina (ATM); these are the women “who continue to campaign for human dignity, biodiversity conservation and sustainable communities”.

“Kenka ayat mi di agsarday. O Buguey, ili mi kapatgan.” (It is bower a real thing of beauty. It is Buguey, a home for you and me.)—Excerpts from Buguey hymn. Composed by Fortunato Tacuboy Sr.

The richness and serenity of her hometown, as immortalized by her lolo Fortunato through his words and rhyme, has always provided Rosbin Tacuboy-Martin inspiration and strength to do everything that she can to help maintain Buguey’s pristine beauty.

Now Tacuboy-Martin, widow and mother to a son, is dedicating her energy and time, and even risking her safety in support of the anti-mining movement that she and fellow concerned Bugueños formed to oppose the rampant illegal excavation of magnetite-rich sands in their town.

Located at the northern part of Cagayan, Buguey is surrounded by mountains, plains and seas.

Since 2006, mining operations flourished in Buguey and other Cagayan towns with huge deposits of magnetite-rich sands, also called as “black sands.” According to the environmental group, Kalikasan People’s Network for the Environment, magnetite mining permits cover 13, 843 hectares of land along the coast of Cagayan. Filipino, Korean and Chinese businessmen and the Enriles, a powerful local political family, are known to be financing these mining operations.

Tacuboy-Martin got her first taste of anti-mining campaign when she attended a seminar in her town in May 2009. After learning the adverse impact of mining to the environment and people in the affected communities, she has been a key advocate for the anti-mining movement. She has to manage her time as she is also runs a local pharmacy store. She tirelessly attends to the needs of the group. She helps in networking and fund raising efforts, provides logistical support and actively participates in dialogues with concerned agencies and local officials.

In 2009, after doing rallies and different advocacy work in the town, Bugueños won a major victory when the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Lito Atienza issued a Cease and Desist Order and suspended all operations and approval of proposed magnetite mining operations within Buguey.

However, legal orders are useless when enforcement is poor, and this was the case for Buguey. Until now, illegal mining operations persist in the town. To make matters worse, cases of intimidation, violence and human rights abuses have risen not only in Buguey but also in other Cagayan towns marred with illegal mining operations.

In March 2010, Gensun Agustin was gunned down in a highway near Barangay Calamegatan after speaking in an anti-mining forum he organized. He is a member of the Alliance for Buguey Community Advocates (Albucoda) and Federation of Anti-Mining Advocates in Cagayan (FAMAC).

Then, two anti-mining leaders, Conrado Buenaflor and William Arzadon, were murdered while Adamson Arellano, another advocate, was shot during the height of May 2010 elections.

The elections became a battleground for pro- and anti-mining candidates and was vitiated by violence. Until now, no one has been brought to justice to answer for the killings.

Still, the spirit of Bugueños has not, and will not be deterred. Tacuboy-Martin and her group continue to monitor and document the mining operations, conduct public gatherings and rally other stakeholders to join the campaign.

Being an activist and advocate where political power and violence can shackle human rights and bring a small town to its knees, it is common for Tacuboy-Martin to receive messages of concern from her loved ones especially her son who is studying in Los Baños, Laguna.

But then, leaving Buguey is not an option because she believes, deep inside her heart, that no home will be as lovely as Buguey.

(Rei Panaligan is an environmental advocate and has been involved in the developmental work for more than 15 years.)