Posted on May 21, 2025
Occidental Mindoro lone district Rep. Leody “Odie” Tarriela is calling for a comprehensive review of all dredging contracts that are viewed as harmful to the environment.
The newly-reelected congressman had this to say over the weekend following the recent decision of the Supreme Court (SC) thatcdeclared void the ordinance of the Provincial Government imposing a 25-year mining moratorium in the province.
“I think we need to pause while doing a comprehensive review of all of these contracts that are deleterious, not just to the environment, but also to the future welfare of Occidental Mindoro. In the long term, we need to review the laws and other policies regarding industries that exploit our environment,” he said.
“Tingnan na din natin itong mga dredging na ginagawa sa ating mga ilog. Matagal ng inaangal na ang dredging ay maingay, makalat at nagpapaalis sa mga isda na ikinabubuhay ng mga pamayanan doon. Lumubog ang barko na sand carrier sa Lumintao sa may Rizal. May mga namatay at hindi agad nagbigay tulong ang may ari ng barko,” he noted.
(We must also look into the dredging operations happening in our rivers. Local communities have long complained that dredging is noisy, disruptive, and displaces fish populations that sustain their livelihoods. A sand carrier ship sank in Lumintao, near Rizal, resulting in fatalities, and yet the ship’s owner failed to provide immediate assistance.)
In April, the sand carrier vessel MV Hong Hai 16, which was used to transport materials collected from the Lumintao River, capsized. It was reported that seven people died while four others went missing.
“Mabuti sana kung nililinis lamang ang ilog para hindi magbaha. Ang problema, ang mga nahahakot doon ay dinadala ng mga barko papunta sa isang reclamation project sa Maynila. Kaya pala masyadong agresibo sa dredging na naging mapaminsala na,” Tarriela said.
(It would have been good if the dredging was merely intended to prevent flooding. The problem is that the extracted materials are transported by ships to a reclamation project in Manila. This explains the overly aggressive dredging activities that have proven destructive.)
Putting two and two together, Tarriela says this explains the current glut of dredging projects.
“Ayon sa reports, bukod sa Lumintao, Pagbahan at Amnay, may permit na din para i-dredge ang Baclaran River, sa gitna ng Sta. Cruz at Mamburao. May dredging applications din sa Biga River sa Sablayan, Busuanga River sa San Jose, at sa Tubili River sa Paluan.”
(Reports indicate that, apart from Lumintao, Pagbahan, and Amnay Rivers, there is already a permit for dredging Baclaran River between Sta. Cruz and Mamburao. Applications have also been submitted for dredging Biga River in Sablayan, Busuanga River in San Jose, and Tubili River in Paluan.)
“Ang tanong ngayon ay kailangan ba talaga ang lahat ng mga dredging na ito para hindi magbaha? Or kailangan lang ng mas maraming pagkukunan ng panambak? Higit sa lahat, willing ba tayo na maperhuwisyo para sa isang reclamation project na hindi naman papapakinabangan ng mga taga Oksi?” he asked.
(The question now is, do we really need all these dredging projects to prevent flooding? Or is the real objective simply to secure more landfill material? Most importantly, are we willing to bear the environmental consequences of a reclamation project that will not even benefit the people of Occidental Mindoro?)
Regarding the SC ruling, Tarriela insisted that “environmental protection should be paramount”.
“With all due respect to our Supreme Court, environmental protection should be paramount. Also, the will of the people who would be directly and adversely affected, as expressed in the passage of the ordinance imposing moratorium against mining, should be respected,” he said.
Occidental Mindoro lone district Rep. Leody “Odie” Tarriela is calling for a comprehensive review of all dredging contracts that are viewed as harmful to the environment.
The newly-reelected congressman had this to say over the weekend following the recent decision of the Supreme Court (SC) thatcdeclared void the ordinance of the Provincial Government imposing a 25-year mining moratorium in the province.
“I think we need to pause while doing a comprehensive review of all of these contracts that are deleterious, not just to the environment, but also to the future welfare of Occidental Mindoro. In the long term, we need to review the laws and other policies regarding industries that exploit our environment,” he said.
“Tingnan na din natin itong mga dredging na ginagawa sa ating mga ilog. Matagal ng inaangal na ang dredging ay maingay, makalat at nagpapaalis sa mga isda na ikinabubuhay ng mga pamayanan doon. Lumubog ang barko na sand carrier sa Lumintao sa may Rizal. May mga namatay at hindi agad nagbigay tulong ang may ari ng barko,” he noted.
(We must also look into the dredging operations happening in our rivers. Local communities have long complained that dredging is noisy, disruptive, and displaces fish populations that sustain their livelihoods. A sand carrier ship sank in Lumintao, near Rizal, resulting in fatalities, and yet the ship’s owner failed to provide immediate assistance.)
In April, the sand carrier vessel MV Hong Hai 16, which was used to transport materials collected from the Lumintao River, capsized. It was reported that seven people died while four others went missing.
“Mabuti sana kung nililinis lamang ang ilog para hindi magbaha. Ang problema, ang mga nahahakot doon ay dinadala ng mga barko papunta sa isang reclamation project sa Maynila. Kaya pala masyadong agresibo sa dredging na naging mapaminsala na,” Tarriela said.
(It would have been good if the dredging was merely intended to prevent flooding. The problem is that the extracted materials are transported by ships to a reclamation project in Manila. This explains the overly aggressive dredging activities that have proven destructive.)
Putting two and two together, Tarriela says this explains the current glut of dredging projects.
“Ayon sa reports, bukod sa Lumintao, Pagbahan at Amnay, may permit na din para i-dredge ang Baclaran River, sa gitna ng Sta. Cruz at Mamburao. May dredging applications din sa Biga River sa Sablayan, Busuanga River sa San Jose, at sa Tubili River sa Paluan.”
(Reports indicate that, apart from Lumintao, Pagbahan, and Amnay Rivers, there is already a permit for dredging Baclaran River between Sta. Cruz and Mamburao. Applications have also been submitted for dredging Biga River in Sablayan, Busuanga River in San Jose, and Tubili River in Paluan.)
“Ang tanong ngayon ay kailangan ba talaga ang lahat ng mga dredging na ito para hindi magbaha? Or kailangan lang ng mas maraming pagkukunan ng panambak? Higit sa lahat, willing ba tayo na maperhuwisyo para sa isang reclamation project na hindi naman papapakinabangan ng mga taga Oksi?” he asked.
(The question now is, do we really need all these dredging projects to prevent flooding? Or is the real objective simply to secure more landfill material? Most importantly, are we willing to bear the environmental consequences of a reclamation project that will not even benefit the people of Occidental Mindoro?)
Regarding the SC ruling, Tarriela insisted that “environmental protection should be paramount”.
“With all due respect to our Supreme Court, environmental protection should be paramount. Also, the will of the people who would be directly and adversely affected, as expressed in the passage of the ordinance imposing moratorium against mining, should be respected,” he said.
