Promoting responsible and mercury-free small-scale gold mining begins with meaningful engagement and collaboration with local stakeholders. 

On November 9, 2026, the Compassionate Gold (CG) Project team held a meeting with barangay officials at  Camp 4 Barangay Social Hall in Tuba, Benguet, one of the project’s three project areas alongside Palasaan, Mankayan, Benguet and Mainit, Bontoc, Mountain Province.  The meeting provided an overview of the CG Project’s objectives, key components, and planned interventions. It also served as an opportunity to strengthen coordination with the local government and discuss ways to support the project’s implementation in the community.

The meeting included a discussion on mercury awareness, highlighting the health and environmental risk associated with mercury use in gold processing. The project team also presented an overview of the Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices (KAP) and Mining Baselining Survey, marking the official launch of the data gathering in the baranggay. The survey aims to generate information on community knowledge, existing mining practices, and local conditions to help guide the project’s succeeding interventions. 

As part of the survey’s kick-off, the project team also conducted an orientation for local enumerators on the survey tools and data gathering process.

In addition, the project team paid courtesy visits to Camp 6 Elementary School and Evelio Javier National High School to introduce BAN Toxics’ continuing Toxics-Free and Waste-Free Schools Program (TFSP). The initiative complements the CG Project’s broader objectives of protecting health and the environment by raising awareness of hazardous chemicals in schools and promoting the sound management of chemicals and waste. The visits also provided an opportunity to establish initial coordination with the schools and explore potential collaboration on future activities.

Through continued collaboration with local government units, the CG Project aims to strengthen community capacities, support small-scale mining formalization efforts, and promote responsible and mercury-free small-scale gold mining in Benguet and Mountain Province.

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