Some 1000 fisher folk from 12 barangays in Aparri, Cagayan will march from the Catholic Church arch to Aparri municipal arch on Friday, April 22, to protest the black sand operations in the town which they say is happening in the guise of river dredging.
Residents here reported the return of mining activity in the first quarter of 2021 with dredging seacrafts and huge sea carriers visibly operating in the Cagayan River, the Aparri delta, and the West Philippine Sea.
The Cagayan Provincial government headed by Governor Manuel N. Mamba explained that the Cagayan River is under rehabilitation and that the presence of large ships is due to the ongoing large-scale dredging to desilt the Cagayan River.
The provincial government added that the project is meant to control the flood and serve as a necessary “enabling activity for the reopening of the Aparri port and the establishment of an international seaport”.
Mamba has also said he will resign if the people can prove there were indeed mining activities there.
However, local fishermen attest that the vessels suck sand at the open sea, right in the areas where they fish, several kilometers from the mouth of the river, and way beyond the designated dredging segments.
Marine traffic tracking reveals back and forth trips of the vessels from Northern Philippines to China which, fisherfolk believe, is the end destination of the mined magnetite from the black sand.
For instance, Hong Chang, a bulk carrier that can haul up to 64,000 metric tons of sand material, has made trips between Aparri to China at least four times since the dredging project started.
The fisherfolk and residents are looking to air their grievances in the protest march dubbed ‘Alay Lakad Para sa Kabuhayan, Kalikasan, Kinabukasan,’ according to San Pedro Telmon Parish of Aparri.
The Aparri fisherfolk will be joined by other groups from neighboring towns of Gattaran, Ballesteros, Buguey, Gonzaga, Sta. Ana, among others in the event, also serves as a celebration of Earth Day.
A prayer service and program will be held at the church where the fisherfolk will share stories about the effects of the mining operations to their livelihood and environment.
Mayoralty candidates will be in attendance to dialogue with the fisherfolk.
Parish priest, Fr. Manuel Catral, hopes that this Earth Day event will be a platform for the fisherfolk to express their situation to the people of Aparri and its future leaders.
The supposed river dredging project has gravely disturbed the ecosystem, messed with reproductive patterns of wildlife, decimated the fish and shrimp population, considerably slashed the income of 11,000 fisherfolk and their families, and brings the threat of erosion to an area that is already perennially inundated by floods brought about by strong rains and typhoons.
Fr. Catral said that the growing grievance of the fisherfolk must finally be heard.
“This river restoration project went into full swing without proper consultation with the people. It’s time that the most affected have a voice in the process,” he said.
“Moreover, the dredging for black sand project has far-reaching ecological effects. Not only is it an urgent local issue, it is also a national issue that must not be dismissed,” Fr. Catral added.