Abstract
Homonhon Island has become the site of ongoing large-scale mining activities that has greatly affected the people of Homonhon in many ways which prompted conflict between the locals, mining firms, civil society, and the government as various perspectives argued over environmental changes, community dynamics, public health, and policy implementation. This study examines the effectiveness of Republic Act No. 7942 or the Philippine Mining Act of 1995 in regulating mining activities in Homonhon Island, Eastern Samar through a multi-perspective qualitative case study approach. Data was gathered through a semi-structured interview with individuals from various sectors that are stakeholders to mining policy implementation in Homonhon including local residents, government agencies, and civil society organizations in order to uncover how the implementation of RA 7942 is perceived and experienced on the ground. The study surfaced contrasting views, such as: Government agencies emphasized the Act's legal mandate and the potential for economic benefits and employment, while Civil society organizations raised strong objections, pointing to long-term social and environmental costs and criticizing the prioritization of corporate interests, and Local residents expressed mixed dependency, valuing contractual income while simultaneously voicing deep concerns over job instability, health risks, and the degradation of traditional livelihoods like fishing and farming. It is concluded that the findings situated the dynamics within the context of neoliberal economic policies, arguing that the effectiveness of RA 7942 is significantly undermined by institutional gaps, corporate dominance, and the absence of genuine localized control over resource governance.
Keywords: Homonhon Island, Philippine Mining Act of 1995, Republic Act No. 7942
https://doi.org/10.65494/pinagpalapublishing.9
