Posted on April 21, 2025
OCCIDENTAL MINDORO (UPDATE) — The provincial government of Occidental Mindoro will halt the operations of Bluemax Tradelink, Inc., the company dredging the Lumintao River in Barangay Malawaan in Rizal, Occidental Mindoro.
This decision comes after sand carrier vessel MV Hong Hai 16, which was used to transport materials collected from the river, capsized. During a press briefing, Gov. Eduardo Gadiano announced that a cease-and-desist order will be issued to Bluemax on Monday.
“Temporary suspension muna ng kanilang operation ng dredging, kailangan settle muna nila yung incident na nangyari kasi may corporate social responsibility sila sa nangyari,” he said.
(We will suspend their dredging operations until they settle their liabilities over the incident)
Gary Valera, a representative of Bluemax assured the public that the company would comply with the provincial government’s order.
“Susunod kami sa lahat ng dapat niyang ipataw sa amin (We will comply with whatever he has to impose on us),” he said.
Gov. Gadiano said the company had to go through a lengthy process of securing permits from various government agencies and before receiving a notice to proceed from the provincial government.
The MV Hong Hai 16 capsized on Tuesday with a load of 7,400 cubic meters of material. It had 25 crew members on board — 13 Filipinos and 12 Chinese nationals. Six have been confirmed dead, while five crew members remain missing.
Gov. Gadiano has also ordered the ship owner, Keen Peak Corp., to begin the process of removing the MV Hong Hai 16.
“’Yung social responsibility sa nangyaring ‘yan ay panagutan ninyo, lalung-lalo na sa mga namatayan,” the governor said.
(You have social responsibility over that happened, especially to those who lost loved ones)
DREDGED SAND USED IN MANILA BAY RECLAMATION
A document obtained by the news team shows that, based on the Ore Transport Permit (OTP) issued by the DENR – Mines and Geosciences Bureau – MIMAROPA Region dated April 10, 2025, the dredged materials or river sand from Lumintao River are destined for MICT Berth 8 in the Manila Bay Reclamation Project.
“[L]ahat ng hinahakot dito sa Occidental Mindoro, sa Manila Bay lahat dinadala ‘yan,” Valera of Bluemax said.
(Everything dredged here in Occidental Mindoro is brought to Manila Bay)
Despite complaints from residents about the negative effects of dredging on fishermen’s livelihoods and the environment, Bluemax maintains that failing to carry out the dredging would cause even greater damage to Mindoro.
“[A]ng baha lalo na dyan sa Sablayan at dyan sa Lumintao dyan sa Rizal, grabe ang baha diyan. Kapag hindi binuksan kasi, nagbabara ‘yan, ” Valera added.
(The flooding in Sablayan, in Lumintao and in Rizal is very bad. If we do not dredge the river, it will get blocked by even more sediment)
The company also claimed that it has prepared livelihood programs for fisherfolk who may be affected.
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DREDGING TO CONTINUE IN OTHER AREAS
Even before the vessel capsized last Tuesday, dredging activities have already been a controversial issue in the province .
Local fishermen claim dredging causes the water ti turn murky and scares away fish. It also causes a lot of noise and throws a lot of debris, they said.
“Dati ito malapad ang dalampasigan namin, una pa lang yung pier na ginawa noong barge pa lang humahakot ng buhangin, ang nangyari ang daming kalat na iniwan nila, kami ang nahirapan” said Wilmer Cadapan., a resident of Brgy. Malawaan.
“Hindi naming alam kung ano pa mangyayari dyan , kung makita naming ay Mabuti ay doon kami pero kung hindi mabuti ay di bawalan“said Pepito Damasino.
As of now, the provincial government has no plans to stop dredging operations in other areas of Occidental Mindoro. Gadiano said dredging operations will continue in the Pagbahan River in Barangay Talabaan located between the towns of Mamburao and Sta. Cruz and the Amnay River in Sablayan, as they have secured the necessary permits.
The Baclaran River, between Sta. Cruz and Mamburao, also has a permit, though operations have not yet begun. Dredging applications are also ongoing for the Biga River in Sablayan, Busuanga River in San Jose, and Tubili River in Paluan.
Despite community opposition, Gov. Gadiano emphasized the importance of dredging the rivers, claiming they are heavily silted, with riverbeds now level with the land, causing flooding especially during rainy season.
“Mula ng nilalang ng ating mahal na Panginoon yung ilog ay hindi pa nadedredge yan eh ,sa tagal ng panahon ay talagang ang siltation ay matindi na “ the governor explained.
“Tumataas na yung riverbed, mataas na ngayon yung riverbed, yung ilog keysa sa community, kaunting ulan ay bumabaha ang community, ang purpose natin ay matanggal yun bara ng mouth of the river “ he added.
Gadiano cited the severe flooding in Occidental Mindoro in 2019 during typhoons Ursula and Tisoy as an example. He appealed to residents to give the river restoration project a chance to reduce flooding. He assured that dredging would be halted if it proved to be an ineffective solution.
“Suportahan muna, pag talagang hindi effective ito, eh di ipatigil natin kung hindi effective at mag-isip tayo ng ibang pamamaraan para mabawasan yung pagbaha” he added.
Gadiano said it takes 4 to 5 years for dredging companies to obtain permits, which include the Dredging Master Plan, Dredging Clearance, Environmental Impact Assessment, ECC, MOA with DENR Regional Office and the local government unit, Business Permit and P5 million Environmental Guarantee Fund.
According to Gadiano, only once all requirements are complete does he issue a Notice to Proceed. The trust fund will be used by the local government in case of issues arising from the dredging operations.
“Lahat ng binibigyan ng permit ay nagtatrust fund ng 5 million per large river” said Gadiano.
He also stressed that public scoping or consultations were conducted with affected communities.
