Protest mounts vs Aklan River dredging

AKLAN, Philippines – Residents of Bakhaw Norte in Kalibo took their anger and frustration to the streets to dramatize their opposition to the dredging of the Aklan River.

Around 100 residents staged a protest march to the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO) and to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)-Aklan District Engineering Office on Thursday, January 26.

They also proceeded to the Provincial Capitol Building for a dialogue with Aklan Governor Florencio Miraflores to oppose the sand and gravel extraction  operations of Santarli (STL) Panay Resources Company.

Protesters held placards and banners that read, “Stop Dredging Operations, Save Bakhaw Norte Soil Erosion” and “STL Mining-Hindi Dredging.”

Another slogan on a tarpaulin read, “Salot sa Taga Libuton (STL),” referring to the proponent of the dredging operations.

Under its Memorandum of Agreement with the provincial government, STL is tasked to dredge 15 million cubic meters of debris in the river for the next 3 years. It is also stipulated in the MOA that STL will pay the Aklan government P5 per cubic meter of material it dredges.

“Ga-opponer kami sa dredging dahil kami ang direkta nga apektado. Hindi dapat matuloy ang dredging activities sa Aklan River; protection muna bago dredging,” said Maribeth Cual, barangay captain of Bakhaw Norte.

(We oppose the dredging because we are the ones directly affected. The dredging activities in Aklan River must not continue; protection first before dredging.)

STL has commissioned MV Zhong Hai 18 of Globe Bulk Services Philippines Corporation to dredge the heavily-silted Aklan River. Last week, the dredger vessel allegedly activated its dredge pumps and components without the necessary permits for such operations.

Following the complaint of Bakhaw Norte residents, the multipartite monitoring team conducted a site inspection and discovered more than 1,200 cubic meters of dredged materials stored in two separate compartments on January 23.

Show cause order

In response to the Bakhaw Norte residents’ complaint, Department of Environment and Natural Resources Technical Services Division chief Merline Aborka told the protesters that the DENR would issue a show cause order for STL to immediately cease operations.

The show cause order, signed by Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office-Aklan chief Ivene Reyes, also directs STL to justify the dredging activities despite the agreement with the multipartite monitoring team.

Engineer Roger Esto, spokesperson of the multipartite monitoring team, said STL officials assured the residents and the provincial government that the company will pull out the dredger vessel and will wait for the go-signal before it begins the dredging operations.

Meanwhile, Aklan Representative Carlito Marquez and Kalibo Mayor William Lachica held a dialogue with residents of Sitio Libuton and barangay officials of Bakhaw Norte on Thursday afternoon.

A P38-million revetment wall along the riverbank was proposed during the dialogue to mitigate flooding in low-lying areas.

Cual said the flood embankment will benefit households residing on or near the riverbank during continuous heavy rains.

Bakhaw Norte, an island barangay in Kalino, has 2,336 residents, based on the 2015 census. It has an area of 312.75 hectares bounded by the Sibuyan Sea and Aklan River. – Rappler.com