Romblon residents and environmental groups marched in protest last July 26 to the front of the Department of Natural Resources office in Quezon City.

They called for an end to the planned mining in Sibuyan Island. The residents said that mining will be detrimental to their livelihood which is dependent on the marine resources, ricefields, copra, and vegetable crops.

In 2011, Atlas Philippines Mining Corporation’s operations in Sibuyan were stopped for damaging the island’s environment. However, in September 2021, the company was allowed to resume operations after Rodrigo Duterte issued Executive Order 130.