The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has endorsed a citizen’s complaint against alleged non-compliant dredging operations in Barangay Talabaan, Mamburao, Occidental Mindoro, to provincial authorities for immediate action, signifying what environmental advocates call “a triumph of faith and collective action.”

The complaint, filed by Ms. Zenaida Casero Esparas through the 8888 Citizen’s Complaint Hotline, was initially received by the Office of the President before being forwarded to regional environmental agencies, according to official correspondence dated April 28-29, 2025.

“The above-mentioned complaint was forwarded to the DENR Action Center and subsequently endorsed to this Office on 28 April 2025 for appropriate action,” stated the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) MIMAROPA Region in its letter to Governor Eduardo B. Gadiano.

Mamburao residents have long voiced complaints about dredging operations allegedly operating without clear Environmental Compliance Certificates (ECCs), Initial Environmental Assessments (IEAs), and proper public consultations.

“This represents the government finally responding to the persistent appeals of Occidental Mindoro residents regarding the damages caused by these questionable dredging operations,” said a resident who worked alongside Esparas.

Governor Gadiano, as Chairperson of the Inter-Agency Committee for Monitoring and Enforcement, has been tasked with investigating the complaint under DENR Administrative Order No. 2020-12.

Community organizers praised Esparas for her courage in attaching her name to the official complaint along with ten others.

“This is clearly God’s victory, not of any single individual,” the group said in a statement. “We were merely instruments to defend our community, correct wrongdoings, and amplify the voices of those who cannot speak.”

The letters from the DILG MIMAROPA Region and DENR have been made public as evidence of government action, which residents say came after prolonged inattention to their woes.

Environmental advocates have long expressed fears about sand dredging activities in Occidental Mindoro’s coastal areas, citing potential damage to marine ecosystems and shoreline erosion.

Mindoro fishing communities have reported decreased catches in areas where dredging operations are active.

“This is just the beginning,” the group said. “We continue to stand united. To those in power who have remained silent—this serves as a reminder that silence amid community suffering is not neutrality; it is taking sides.”

Sand mining and dredging in the province have been contentious issues, with authorities struggling to balance economic development with environmental protection.

Previous investigations have uncovered operations without proper environmental compliance certificates or exceeding permitted extraction volumes.

Provincial authorities of Occidental Mindoro have not yet released details regarding specific violations alleged in the complaint or the identities of the dredging operators involved.