Makabayan solons urge House to probe Chinese-led dredging in Cagayan

Makabayan bloc members ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro (L), Gabriela Party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas (C), and Kabataan Party-list Rep. Raoul Manuel (R). —INQUIRER.net file photos

MANILA, Philippines — A resolution asking two committees to investigate the Chinese-led dredging in Cagayan has been formally filed at the House of Representatives, fearing that the operations have damaged and disrupted marine ecosystems and people’s livelihoods.

Lawmakers from the House’s Makabayan bloc filed House Resolution No. 2278, which calls on the committee on aquaculture and fisheries resources and the committee on natural resources to jointly investigate the dredging operations in the Cagayan River.

According to Makabayan — ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro, Gabriela party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas, and Kabataan party-list Rep. Raoul Manuel — daily earnings of local fisherfolk especially in Aparri have dropped from around P7,000 to P9,000 to just P900.

“The so-called Cagayan River Restoration Project, launched in 2021 and led by Chinese firms, has caused extensive ecological disruption and economic loss to small fisherfolk, particularly in Aparri town, where daily earnings reportedly dropped from P7,000-P9,000 to as low as P900,” Makabayan said in the resolution.

“Fisherfolk and local environmental watchdogs, including Pamalakaya, have raised alarm over the large-scale extraction and export of black sand (magnetite) by Chinese dredging vessels,’ operating under the guise of river rehabilitation but in effect engaging in unchecked resource-exploitation,” they added.

In December 2020, then Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu gave the go-signal to dredging along the Cagayan River in a bid to widen the waterway after Typhoon Ulysses caused widespread flooding in Cagayan Valley provinces.

READ: DENR OKs dredging of Cagayan River 

The dredging operations were expected to improve water flow along the river. However, many expressed concern that the dredging would negatively impact the environment.

The Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) claimed that the dredging operations were actually a large-scale extraction of sand and minerals — which possibly damaged the marine ecosystem in the area.

READ: ACT party-list backs calls to probe Chinese dredging in Cagayan 

Aside from the fisherfolk’s concerns, Makabayan noted that the Chinese firms doing the dredging have been involved in different controversial operations in other parts of the country.

“While the dredging was suspended in 2023, its ecological aftermath continues to cripple the livelihoods of coastal communities, with no substantial rehabilitation or compensation provided to date,” they said.  “Chinese firms have been linked to other controversial and destructive projects across the country, raising broader concerns about their pattern of environmental disregard.”

“There is an urgent need to uphold national patrimony over our natural resources and prevent further exploitation by foreign corporate interests operating with impunity, and the fishing rights and livelihood of the small fisherfolk, rights against ecological disaster of Filipino communities,” they added.

This is not the first time that Makabayan spoke against the Chinese dredging operations.  Last April 11, Castro said seeking accountability for the dredging operations in Cagayan province should not stop just because operations have ceased.

According to Castro, there should be a determination on how extensive the dredging operations’ damage was, and which Chinese companies should be responsible for this.

It is unclear however, if the two House panels have enough time to probe the issue.  Session resumes on June 2, but the 19th Congress will formally close out by June 13, to allow newly-elected officials to take their posts. /jpv