By Bernie Cahiles Magkilat A local mining and dredging company is partnering with two giant contractors in time with their dredging and rehabilitation of Maloma River, one of three Zambales rivers that overflow with lahar sand. Spartan Mining and Development Corporation (Spartan), a Zambales-based dredging and mining firm is poised to ink a joint venture agreement with Melekon Group, a huge local contractor company, and with Boskalis of Netherlands, one of the world’s largest company specializing in dredging, port construction and reclamation. Socrates G. Babia, President and CEO of Spartan said the joint ventures will be in time for their rehabilitation of the 60-hectare Maloma River, one of three great rivers at the foot of Mount Pinatubo, rendered impassable and long dead for two decades, posing great risks to Zambales residents will be rehabilitated by a mining company at no cost to the government. The Maloma River traversing the Municipality of San Felipe in Zambales presently overflowing with lahar and floods during rainy days since the epic Mt. Pinatubo eruption in 1991 will be rehabilitated by Spartan Mining and Development Corporation (Spartan) at no cost to the government. Socrates G. Babia, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer of Spartan announced that the 60-hectare dredging project of Maloma River will be undertaken at no cost to the government including the construction of a spillway and slope protection. “The construction of a spillway and slope protection on both sides of the whole stretch of Maloma River is to ensure that there will be no more flooding and that the river will be transformed to its former depth and water quality. These construction activities were approved by the DPWH and will be undertaken by Spartan as additional freebie, no cost to the government,” Babia said. “The project was rendered compliant with all the regulations and requirements of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Review Committee of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR),” Babia disclosed. “We would like to thank DENR Secretary Rey Cimatu and his staff for this good news that will signal to all that worthy projects such as ours are given the much needed push by government under President Rodrigo Duterte,” Babia said.