The Provincial Government of Occidental Mindoro’s recent disclosure of P23.9 million in “Sand and Gravel/Dredging Shares” distributed to local government units has unearthed questions about whether ongoing operations constitute legitimate river restoration or disguised commercial sand mining.

The Provincial Treasury Office announced that under Governor Eduardo Gadiano’s leadership, the province distributed the funds to various municipalities and barangays for April and May 2025, with the Municipality of Mamburao receiving the largest share at P7.068 million.

PARADOX
What officials tout as transparency may instead reveal inconsistencies in the project’s stated purpose.

Traditional river restoration projects are environmental rehabilitation efforts that typically require government investment rather than generate revenue.

“If this is purely restoration work, why are local governments receiving income shares?” asked environmental law experts familiar with mining regulations.

Under Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) administrative orders, sand and gravel extraction generates revenue only when classified as commercial activities subject to excise taxes, fees, and royalties.

The distribution breakdown shows the Municipality of Mamburao receiving P7.068 million, Barangay Talabaan getting P9.226 million, the Municipality of Sablayan obtaining P3.269 million, and various barangays receiving between P1.864 million and P571,000 each.

This revenue-sharing pattern follows the standard formula for commercial mineral extraction, with 40% typically going to the provincial government, 30% to the city or municipality, and 30% to the source barangay.

Government regulations clearly distinguish between restoration and commercial extraction.

Restoration projects typically involve environmental rehabilitation without profit motive, contractor expenses rather than government revenue, and focus on ecological improvement metrics rather than financial returns.

The presence of substantial revenue sharing suggests the operations may extend beyond restoration parameters into commercial territory.

The Provincial Treasury Office framed the disclosure as demonstrating “commitment to transparency and ensuring that revenues from natural resources are equitably shared with local communities.”

However, the statement’s focus on “revenues from natural resources” appears to contradict characterizations of the work as restoration rather than extraction.

Provincial officials have not yet issued a statement about the apparent discrepancy between the project’s restoration mandate and its revenue-generating nature.

Local environmental groups have previously brought up fears about large-scale dredging operations in the province, particularly regarding potential impacts on marine ecosystems and fishing communities.

The substantial sums involved (nearly P24 million over just two months) suggest operations of such magnitude (or large scale) that may warrant closer scrutiny of environmental compliance and community impact.

Not only in Occidental Mindoro, people in Oriental Mindoro have also been calling for clear explanations of the specific scope of restoration versus commercial activities, environmental impact assessments and compliance measures, and long-term ecological goals versus short-term revenue objectives.

The ongoing sand dredging operation in Gloria town, under the support of Governor Bonz Dolor, has become a battleground in a political landscape that may leave Dolor the last man standing backing mining operations while the rest of the political leaders are against his decision.

Questions about how extractive industries operate under environmental restoration permits, and whether current regulatory frameworks adequately distinguish between legitimate rehabilitation and commercial exploitation remain unanswered by both Dolor and Gadiano.