The Philippine Misereor and Partnership Inc. stands in solidarity with the Zambales Ecological Network (ZEN) in opposing the destructive sand mining and dredging operations currently ravaging Zambales’ coastal ecosystems. These activities, disguised as development, are a direct violation of the people’s right to a healthy environment and sustainable livelihood, and an affront to the rights of nature itself.
What’s happening is not development, it’s devastation. The dredging operations, often driven by foreign interests and corporate profit, are causing irreversible damage to marine biodiversity, mangroves, coral reefs, and fishery resources. Fisherfolk are losing their catch. Families are losing their homes. Local businesses that depend on scenic beaches and thriving marine life are suffering as tourism declines.
Still, the communities are left with degraded ecosystems, massive and problematic coastal erosion, and declining aquatic fauna. It not only destroys the natural beauty of the coastlines or causes families to lose their homes and incomes, but it also disrupts and kills other life forms, which are crucial to maintaining the marine ecosystem’s balance. The rights of nature are being violated. We need to shift our perspective that nature is merely a resource for our use. They are subjects of rights just like humans. They have the right to exist, to have a home, and to perform their role beyond human needs. This shift, we believe, will add another layer of protection to our environment and people, and will strategically reverse the ongoing degradation of our environment and address the climate and planetary crisis.
Treating nature as objects for profit is manifested by reports revealing that these operations generate massive revenues for provincial governments and foreign companies, including Chinese vessels extracting sand from Zambales’ shores. Meanwhile, communities are left with degraded ecosystems, worsening coastal erosion, and dwindling livelihoods.
The local government’s response to the cry for help from its people is lukewarm, to consult experts first to determine the proper course of action. At the same time, the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) is quick to say that dredging, specifically in Brgy. Liwliwa did not cause the coastal erosion. The brushing off of the massive erosion in Zambales is discouraging; it shows a lack of concern for the well-being of local communities and the health of our marine environment. Is it not prudent to immediately stop these operations while seeking an expert’s opinion?
We demand an immediate halt to all dredging and sand mining activities in Zambales. We call on leaders of local government in Zambales, particularly Gov Ebdane, to listen to their constituents and act decisively to protect our coasts. We urge national and local agencies to prioritize the welfare of Filipino communities over corporate profit. We support the call to repeal the Department of Environment and Natural Resources Administrative Order No. 13, Series of 2019, which has enabled these destructive projects under the guise of flood control.
We echo the mandate of President Ferdinand Marcos’ directive to review immediately all flood-related contracts, especially those under the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
Environmental justice is non-negotiable. The future of our people, oceans, and our planet is at stake. We will not stand idle as Zambales is carved up and sold off.
𝐖𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐚, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬.
𝐇𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐨𝐟𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐙𝐚𝐦𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐬!
𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐩 𝐂𝐨𝐫𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐝! 𝐃𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐞𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭. 𝐅𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞!
