Bishop Moises Cuevas of the Apostolic Vicariate of Calapan, located on the island of Mindoro in the Philippines, has called for “A Day of Prayer Towards a Concerted Course of Action on the Mindoro Mining Moratorium” in a statement posted on July 4.
He urged civil leaders, religious groups, and local officials to unite and respond collectively to what he described as a threat to environmental stewardship and social justice.
In a decision promulgated on January 14, 2025, the Supreme Court of the Philippines declared the 25-year moratorium on all forms of large-scale mining operations in the province of Occidental Mindoro a violation of the Philippine Mining Act of 1995.
Reacting to the apex court’s ruling, Bishop Cuevas said the decision “could plausibly be a precedent-setting move for the subsisting parallel local ordinance in Oriental Mindoro. It could also probably have destructive impacts on our shared mission expressed in Pope Francis' encyclical Laudato Si’ - ‘to care for our common home.’”
Bishop Cuevas emphasized that “sitting on the fence is not an option.” The Apostolic Vicariate has organized a "Dialogue Forum on the Mindoro Mining Moratorium" on July 10 at the Bishop Cajandig Conference Hall in Salong, Calapan City, to foster a united response among key stakeholders.
He also called on all to participate in the day of prayer. “We encourage our clergy, religious, and faith communities to organize group prayer, including, but not limited to: Holy Mass, Holy Hour, and the Holy Rosary,” he said.
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