Thousands join the peaceful solidarity march in the streets of Koronadal City Thursday (19 May 2022) to protest the lifting of the ban on open-pit mining in South Cotabato.

The solidarity walk started around 9 a.m. from the Christ the King Cathedral towards the South Cotabato provincial capitol.

Residents here and from different towns of the province joined the march to ask South Cotabato Gov. Reynaldo Tamayo Jr. to veto the decision of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan to remove the prohibition on open-pit mining.

The elderly, youth and religious camped out outside the provincial capitol as Tamayo and Marbel Bishop Cerilo Casicas held a dialogue inside the governor’s office.

The solidarity walk was spearheaded by the Marbel diocese.

As 10:21 a.m.,  the protest activity was still ongoing outside the capitol, the crowd waiting for the result of the dialogue.