All dredging activities suspended in Oriental Mindoro
The provincial government has temporarily suspended all dredging activities in Oriental Mindoro following recommendations from the Inter-Agency Committee and the completion of over two years of evaluation on the Balete River Restoration in Gloria town. INQUIRER FILES
CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro—The provincial government has temporarily suspended all dredging activities in Oriental Mindoro following recommendations from the Inter-Agency Committee and the completion of over two years of evaluation on the Balete River Restoration in Gloria town.
Gov. Humerlito Dolor issued separate letters to Southern Concrete Industries, Inc. (SCII) and Bird’s Nest Resources Corporation (BNRC), informing them that the province is halting the Notice to Proceed (NTP) for their dredging projects.
This decision follows a request from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) for an updated evaluation of the navigational waterways to be dredged.
“Considering the importance of updated evaluations for the River Restoration through large-scale dredging of Alag and Longos Rivers, I am temporarily suspending the NTP and Operating Permits for these projects,” Dolor wrote to BNRC.
He added: “However, this suspension does not prevent compliance with the project’s Environmental Compliance Certificate.”
READ: Oriental Mindoro gov, board, clash over river restoration, flood control issues
In his letter to SCII, Dolor noted the DENR’s request for an updated assessment of the navigational channels in the Balete River (Gloria) and Sumagui River (Bansud), due to potential changes in the hydrological and environmental conditions over time.
Dolor also addressed rumors about dredging activities restarting in September, posting the letters on his social media to clarify: “The Provincial Government expressly denies the spreading of fake news that there will be dredging today or on September 15, 2025. I personally wrote to the proponents in the towns of Gloria and Baco to discuss the issue for further study. We want dialogue and not chaos.”
The provincial government confirmed that after four test dredging operations in Gloria earlier this year, no additional dredging has occurred in the province./coa
