Posted on September 9, 2026
SAN FELIPE, ZAMBALES, Philippines — For 52-year-old Myra Falloran, her family home in Sitio (subvillage) Tektek, Barangay Sindol, was meant to be an inheritance for her grandchildren.
Now, the sea is creeping closer.
Falloran said the shoreline began changing after dredging activities started in 2022. The operation was halted at one point but resumed in October 2023.
Dredging in Zambales was conducted under Department of Environment and Natural Resources Administrative Order No. 13 to clear silted river channels and help prevent flooding. But residents, particularly fishermen, questioned the presence of 17 Chinese dredging vessels in San Felipe’s municipal waters.
The provincial government suspended dredging in March 2025 following protests but lifted the suspension in June. Operations resumed in the Sto. Tomas and Bucao rivers, while the Maloma River remained suspended.
Falloran said the shoreline continued to erode, with waves now reaching homes during high tide.
“We can really feel the difference because this did not happen before. The sea would naturally come closer, but it never reached our homes,” she told the Inquirer.
Erosion
Falloran said she supported dredging for flood prevention but opposed offshore operations and the lack of consultation.
“But I wish they had limited the dredging to the mouth of the river, not in the sea directly in front of our homes,” she said.
Falloran blamed the removal of sand for the erosion.
“If they had not taken the sand, this would not have happened,” she said.
Her concerns come as heavy rains again displaced residents across Zambales. The provincial disaster office reported 604 families, or 1,854 people, evacuated as of Monday.
Falloran said flooding and damage to the coastal road have also affected fishermen’s livelihoods.
“I hope the damaged coastal road can also be rehabilitated soon … because there is no longer any place for our boats to be launched,” she said.
She appealed for long-term protection and livelihood assistance instead of temporary relief.
DENR clarifies dredging ops
DENR Regional Executive Director Ralph Pablo has issued a formal clarification regarding ongoing dredging activities in the province, firmly denying that any operations are taking place in Sitio Tektek, Sto. Tomas, as well as in the drainage areas and river systems of San Narciso and San Felipe (Maculcol).
In a statement released today, Pablo emphasized that all dredging activities are in compliance with the provisions of Department Administrative Order (DAO) 2019-13.
Addressing recent reports, Pablo clarified that the vessels’ operations are strictly confined to the designated dredging zone and the estuary.
Denies activity in Sitio Tektek and coastal areas
He underscored that these activities have not extended to the coastal area or Sitio Tektek, countering claims suggesting otherwise.
According to official monitoring data, the alleged presence of 17 dredging vessels in the area has been misrepresented.
He also confirmed that these vessels have never operated simultaneously on any single day or within any given month.
Meanwhile, Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO-Zambales) head Atty. Marife Castillo continues to conduct daily monitoring to ensure that all environmental regulations are strictly followed as part of efforts to promote transparency and public participation.
