Bishop seeks prayer to fight Occidental Mindoro mining

Bishop Moises Cuevas of Calapan has called for a "day of prayer" to unite against the reopening of Occidental Mindoro to mining, following a Supreme Court ruling. This decision nullified the province's ban on large-scale mining. The Supreme Court's ruling, issued in January, deemed the provincial ban invalid, citing a violation of the Philippine Mining Act of 1995. The Bishop fears this ruling could set a precedent, potentially impacting neighboring Oriental Mindoro's similar mining ban. The Apostolic Vicariate of Calapan will hold a forum on July 10 to discuss the mining moratorium. The Bishop urges religious groups and local officials to unite against the perceived threat to environmental protection and social justice.