A major dredging project along the Balete River in Oriental Mindoro has been approved by provincial authorities, despite growing fears from communities about its environmental and social impacts.

Governor Humerlito “Bonz” Dolor has granted permission to Southern Concrete Industries Inc. and Pasig River Expressway Corp. to extract approximately 38.5 million cubic meters of material from the Balete River.

The project, backed by an Ore Transport Permit issued on April 4, 2025 by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ Mines and Geosciences Bureau, will clear navigational waterways and dredge a designated river zone.

The dredged sand, valued at over P31 million pesos, will be transported by China Harbour Engineering Company to support construction at the New Manila International Airport in Bulacan.

The operation, which involves a cutter-suction dredger and other heavy equipment, is set to run until early May 2025 or until the permitted volume is extracted.

Residents of affected barangays, including Balete and San Antonio, in Gloria town, have voiced strong opposition, warning that the project threatens livelihoods, local infrastructure, and marine ecosystems.

Fisherfolk have pointed out risks to coral reefs and seagrass beds, critical to Mindoro’s fishing industry, due to sedimentation and habitat disruption.

Residents claim that ongoing excavations increase the risk of coastal erosion, shoreline retreat, and flooding in riverside communities.

The approval comes days before a sand carrier, MV Hong Hai 16, capsized off Malawaan, Rizal, Occidental Mindoro on April 15, 2025, killing nine crew members, including a Chinese national.

The incident has heightened scrutiny of dredging and sand transport operations in the country, with the Philippine Coast Guard monitoring potential environmental impacts.

No oil spill or ecological damage has been reported so far, but the Malawaan accident has amplified calls for stricter oversight.

To address concerns, the provincial government has imposed strict conditions.

At least 70% of workers must be hired from Gloria barangays, and companies must fund livelihood projects for affected communities.

Companies are also required to repair any infrastructure damaged during operations and pay a quarry tax to the provincial treasury.

Monthly reports, including photographic evidence and extraction data, will be mandatory to ensure transparency.

The project must avoid depleting fishery resources, causing saltwater intrusion into farmlands, or eroding riverbanks.

Environmental groups, however, remain sceptical, citing past dredging projects in the Philippines that have been linked to habitat loss and increased flood risks.

Meanwhile, residents of Barangay Balete, Gloria have called for the project to be halted, arguing that it prioritizes economic gains over environmental and social costs.

A 2023 letter from Governor Dolor to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, requesting support for the dredging, has resurfaced, fuelling criticisms that Mindoreño voices are being sidelined.

The Oriental Mindoro provincial government has yet to respond to the latest grievances.