27/01/2026
DEFEND LAND, DEFEND LIFE
“I brought you into a fertile land to eat its fruit and rich produce. But you came and defiled my land.” (Jeremiah 2:7)
The Council of Bishops of the United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP) is extremely worried and morally outraged about the violent dispersal and ongoing harassment of communities in Dupax del Norte, Nueva Vizcaya, who are protecting their land, livelihoods, and ancestral domains from the destructive actions of Woogle Mining Corporation, which appears to be supported by state forces.
This incident reflects a broader national pattern of environmental destruction, human rights abuses, and corporate exploitation affecting peasants and Indigenous Peoples. As a Church committed to the Gospel of justice, we reaffirm that the struggle of the people of Dupax del Norte is a moral and spiritual issue. Violence against communities protecting their land violates their God-given dignity and contradicts God’s will for abundant life.
The Church condemns destructive large-scale mining and development aggressions that destroy ecosystems, poison waterways, displace communities, and worsen poverty. We are alarmed by the DENR’s continued support for extractive and corporate ventures that sacrifice people and the environment for the sake of profit.
The UCCP reiterates its long-standing opposition to large-scale, foreign-dominated mining and renews its call to repeal the Mining Act of 1995. We uphold Indigenous Peoples’ rights to their ancestral lands and to genuine Free, Prior, and Informed Consent.
In faithfulness to the Gospel, we call for the immediate stoppage of Woogle Mining’s operations, an independent investigation into the violence, accountability of responsible state agencies, protection for environmental defenders, and the pursuit of people-centered, ecologically just alternatives.
The Church will not be silent. We stand in solidarity with the people of Dupax del Norte and all communities defending land, life, and dignity.
Land is life. To defend land is to defend life.
THE UCCP COUNCIL OF BISHOPS
January 26, 2026