News & Voices

Learn how planetGOLD Philippines supports the empowerment of the poorest and most marginalized sectors through effective capacity development at the individual, organizational, and institutional levels in order to advance a more transformative and sustainable society.

The planetGOLD Philippines project convened government agencies for a workshop entitled, “Making Mercury History in the Philippine Small-Scale Gold Mining Sector: Stories from the planetGOLD Philippines Project” on 23 to 25 November 2022 in Quezon City, Manila. This activity is the first in a series of workshops which aim to provide an avenue for agencies to discuss issues surrounding the ASGM sector, and to collaborate on solutions and policy recommendations.

To highlight artisanal and small-scale miners' journey to mercury-free, planetGOLD is launching Dispatches From The Field, a short video series featuring some of the unique stories coming out of the countries where we work. Each month over the coming year, we’ll dive into some of the obstacles and barriers that miners have faced, while spotlighting champions that are breaking through these challenges to advance responsible mining and make meaningful change on the ground.

In the Philippines, the world’s 27th largest gold producer with 80% coming from ASGM, opportunities for women working in mines are diverse. They can support their families and pay for their children’s education. But they also face considerable challenges. Women often don't have access to their own tools and receive no support for child care, which can prevent them from working. Women are subject to gender discrimination when they are prevented from doing certain mining jobs seen as exclusive to men.

Gold is such an intrinsic part of Paracale, a municipality in the Philippines, that the town's rich mining history is reflected in its name, which is derived from the words para cale, meaning "canal digger." Read on to learn more about how planetGOLD Philippines is working with mining communities and local governments to help miners access pathways to formalization and pave the way for clean gold.

In support of World Day for Safety and Health at Work, our partner the Artisanal Gold Council as the executing agency of the planetGOLD projects in Mongolia and the Philippines highlights initiatives in these countries and three other related country projects in the Asia-Pacific region actively addressing occupational health and safety hazards in the ASGM sector.

Women make up 10-30% of the workforce at ASGM sites in the Philippines, according to mining association leaders and other local stakeholders. The planetGOLD Philippines project looks at the roles women play, their income opportunities, exposure to mercury, and initiatives to promote gender equality in the sector.

Bayanihan Amidst Super Typhoons and a Pandemic: A whole-of-society approach is needed in the Philippines to ensure that the ASGM sector fully recovers from three typhoons and delivers social and economic benefits not just for the miners, but for the country as a whole.

ASGM is a main source of income for rural communities in the Philippines and has been a catalyst for social and economic progress where it operates, such as the small town of Buenavista, Quezon, home to around 30,000 people. This article from the planetGOLD Philippines team examines how responsible ASGM can contribute to many social benefits.

Staff with the planetGOLD project team in the Philippines report that as a result of the Enhanced Community Quarantine that has been imposed due to COVID-19, women in the small-scale mining town of Itogon are facing various livelihood and economic challenges, and there are indications that gender inequalities are now exacerbated. This article sheds light on the situation these women face, and recommends several responses to improve gender equality.

The outbreak of COVID-19 has disrupted the artisanal gold supply chain and broken the cash for gold income system that rural miners depend on in ASGM communities around the world, including in the Philippines. Despite stay at home orders, many small-scale miners are continuing to produce gold, but they are severely constrained by a lack of access to markets, buyers, processing supplies, and a limited workforce. Read more in this update from our team working on the planetGOLD Philippines project.