“They said that it’s for flood mitigation, but why are they dredging the offshore area and not the shallow part of the Banaoang River instead? The ships are scaring the fish away. What’s worse, some of the island’s coast has already eroded.”

By Erika Sinaking
Bulatlat.com

MANILA — Braving light rains, nearly 200 fisherfolk, residents, youth, and church groups held a fluvial protest on Wednesday, July 16, along the Abra River inlet to oppose the ongoing dredging operations in Ilocos Sur’s coastal and riverine areas.

The protest, dubbed “Panagsasabat: Inter-barangay Fluvial Parade Against Destructive Dredging,” was spearheaded by grassroots formations Defend Ilocos Sur and Youth Alliance for Climate Action (YACA). 

The demonstrators called for an immediate stop to the operations of Isla Verde Mining and Development Corporation (IVMDC), a company they alleged has devastated marine ecosystems and displaced livelihoods in Santa, Caoayan, and parts of Vigan.

Dredging as flood mitigation plan? 

The operations of Isla Verde stemmed from a 2022 Memorandum of Agreement with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Region I (DENR-RO1) to dredge the Abra River as part of a flood mitigation plan. However, local groups and researchers said the company has since overstepped its mandate.

A 2025 primer from the Ilocos Center for Research, Empowerment, and Development (ICRED) found that the dredging in barangay Puro, Caoayan and surrounding areas have gone beyond flood control and have turned into what residents call a “thinly veiled extraction project,” with barges transporting sand and gravel to Manila Bay for the construction of the SM Smart City reclamation project in Pasay.

According to ICRED, over 6,800 residents across island and coastal barangays, from Puro in Caoayan to Oribi and Dammay in Santa, have been affected by the operation. Many were caught off guard by the sudden appearance of ships in May 2024, with reports of nighttime operations, strong vibrations that shook homes, and a lack of proper consultation or consent from residents.

“They said that it’s for flood mitigation, but why are they dredging the offshore area and not the shallow part of the Banaoang River instead? The ships are scaring the fish away. What’s worse, some of the island’s coast has already eroded,” said Danilo Quiocho, a resident of Pantay Tamurong, Caoayan in a statement. 

He added that, “The money which they give the residents can be earned by the fisherfolk through fishing. The project must not easily take away our livelihood, and the residents must fight for it!”

In a 2015 study commissioned by the provincial government, coastal geologist Dr. Fernando Siringan warned against the misuse of dredging in sensitive areas, specifically advising against offshore magnetite extraction due to its erosion risks. 

Siringan reiterated that Isla Verde’s current operation does not align with those scientific recommendations and may destabilize riverbanks and coastal land further north.

According to residents, community consultation was either minimal or selectively done. While some barangays were invited to meetings or offered corporate social responsibility (CSR) projects like gabion boxes, others, such as barangay Oribi and barangay Dammay in Santa, reported receiving neither consultation nor support.

Fr. Robert Somera, a parish priest of Our Lady of Hope Church in Caoayan, has also opposed the dredging operations. In an interview with Bombo Radyo Vigan last July 9, Somera said he often hears pleas from parishioners, especially from barangay Puro, Caoayan, who are afraid to speak publicly about the dredging’s impact. In response, he has taken it upon himself to check the shoreline regularly, document the presence of dredging vessels, and share the community’s sentiments on his platform.

“When you (referring to provincial authorities) were chosen to serve the town of Caoayan, I was also tasked to serve here, to serve the people…,” said Somera in Ilocano. “I cannot close my eyes to what is happening to the people because they are suffering.”

Donna Rabang Peta of the Ilocos Regional Ecumenical Council (IREC) also underscored the mandate of the church to stand with the poor and the most abandoned like the fisherfolk. 

“This [fluvial parade] is not the end but the start of our collective effort in protecting God’s creation. This project displaces local fisherfolks amid their already burdened life with issues like the West Philippine Sea and the Supreme Court ruling, which opens the 15-kilometer municipal waters to large-scale commercial fishing. As time goes by, more loss of livelihood and more degradation of our environment will continue. It is time to wake up!” Peta said in a statement. 
Meanwhile, Renz Kang, executive director of ICRED and a convenor of Defend Ilocos Sur, urged Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to take action on the plight of his fellow Ilocano. “If he is true to his commitment to protect the environment and help solve the climate crisis, he should stop the destructive dredging operation of Isla Verde,” said Kang. (With reports from Anne Marxze Umil) (RVO)