The working mines are well south of here, mainly in Benguet, though Lepanto (established during the US colonial period, long before the tribes were coordinated enough - or well enough armed - to mount effective resistance) is on the southern edge of Kankanaey country. Observation of the impact of those mines is one of the main reasons why the opposition is so energetic.

The resistance isn't all military. The locals are heavily networked with environmental and indigenous rights groups worldwide, and they're good with media. (The chairperson of the UN Permanent Commission on Indigenous Issues lives just over the hill from me, and other locals are well distributed in similar positions.) If an American, Australian, Canadian or European company got involved they could count on demonstrations at HQ and at shareholder meetings, attention from local media, and everyone from their shareholders to their grandmothers getting letters accusing them of genocide. The combination of armed resistance and political pressure works pretty well; the companies are PR conscious and there are other easier deposits of minerals. I suppose the greatest danger would be a venture combining Chinese and Philippine political crony influence; a lot less concern with popular opinion there. We'll see. So far the fear that attempted exploitation would put the tribes back in the NPA camp has been more potent than the desire for minerals.

Aguinaldo got stuck in Lubuagan, an interesting story. They were trying desperately to get out to the Cagayan Valley but the Americans were onto them and kept blocking the routes. They ended up passing through some places that would make a rough and difficult trip even today. Judging from the diaries of some of those involved it was a very unhappy time...