Darwynn Tucpi has been with OceanaGold’s Didipio Mine for 14 years. Over this time, he’s developed skills and mining experience made possible through commitment and determination, and with the support and encouragement of his work team, friends and family.
This backing has allowed Darywnn to pursue a career in the town he calls home, while establishing a family home to provide stability and a future for his children.
Commencing with the company in 2006 as a field engineer, Darwynn has delivered many civil construction projects for the mine including as a Field Inspector for the 2007 opening of the access road in Didipio – the first major infrastructure in the community’s history that connected Didipio to adjacent barangays and beyond.
Darwynn explains it as one of his proudest achievements. “I was born in Poblacion, Kasibu and married a local Didipian woman, so Didipio is my home. To have been involved in one of the most significant projects in our history was extremely rewarding,” he said.
“I was involved from the beginning including negotiations with landowners, through to development and construction including installation of gabion walls and slope protections after a typhoon struck the region and caused a landslide.”
Over the 12 years that followed, Darwynn’s career progressed to the role of Supervisor for site services including road maintenance and camp accommodation, to Senior Supervisor in 2019 and then Asset Maintenance Supervisor in 2020.
Darwynn said the two-year suspension of operations between 2019 and 2021, during the renewal of the Mine’s Financial or Technical Assistance Agreement (FTAA), was difficult for the community.
“Not only does the Didipio Mine provide our bread and butter, we have all witnessed first-hand how OceanaGold operates responsibly and we are proud to be the mine’s host community,” he said.
On 14 July 2021, the Philippine Government renewed the Didpio FTAA for an additional 25-year period.
“With operations resuming, the majority of the community has had its prayers answered,” Darwynn said.
“It means more job opportunities, the development projects in the community will resume, and the operation will contribute to the Philippines’ economic recovery and continued management of COVID-19.”
