Halt to Cagayan River dredging sought amid flood threats

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya , Philippines  – Calls for a halt to the controversial dredging of the Cagayan River basin continued to mount amid threats of massive flashfloods in Cagayan’s northernmost towns and possible catastrophic damage to the environment.

Church-backed multi-sectoral groups in Cagayan renewed over the week their call to the national government to stop the provincial government-backed dredging of the Cagayan River, especially along the coastlines of Aparri, Buguey and Gonzaga in the wake of threats of floods and fears of catastrophic damage to the towns’ marine life.

The Alliance of Buguey for Community Development Advocates called on President Arroyo and Bayombong Bishop Ramon Villena, also the regional development council head, for their “immediate intercession to stop the extraction of magnetite sand at our seas and shores” which exposes residents to the risk of inundation and erosion. 

According to the group, the magnetite extraction, reportedly contracted to Chinese and Taiwanese consortiums, was conducted within the “prohibited zone” with various vessels being filled up with black sand every three to five hours for transport abroad.

“Few days ago, we were eyewitness to the devastating effects of nature because we allow our environment to be ripped. A more tragic state of affairs of nature is likely to happen to our beloved (place) should (the magnetite) extraction continue,” the group said. 

The appeal letter, dated Oct. 12, was also addressed to Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, himself a Cagayan native; Environment Secretary Lito Atienza and Cagayan Gov. Alvaro Antonio.

Enrile and Antonio, however, earlier expressed support for the project, which, they said, aside from providing economic benefits, also helps to de-clog the river of silt and other debris. 

The provincial board also endorsed the dredging project amid stiff opposition from the Church and various environmental groups, which called it actually a mining operation in disguise.

A letter of similar nature to Villena dated Oct. 15 was also made by Buguey Mayor Ignacio Taruc, whose pending suspension due to administrative charges by the provincial board has been perceived by some sectors as having something to do with his going against the provincial government’s pro-mining stance.

Atienza already ordered on April 22 the suspension of the said dredging operation for violation of Batas Pambansa 256, which prohibits mineral extraction within 200 meters from the coastline.

Atienza’s order came as Church-backed anti-mining residents in Cagayan’s northern coastal towns were staging protests actions against the project, fearing that it would cause flashfloods, and eventually inundate their residences and farms.