Farmers blame illegal logging, black sand mining for Cagayan, Isabela floods

Farmers blame black sand mining, illegal logging for Cagayan floods

Black sand mining and illegal logging were among the factors that contributed to the massive  flooding in Cagayan and Isabela during the onslaught of Typhoon Ulysses last week, two farmers groups said on Friday.

Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas president Danilo Ramos appealed to House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco to include the issue of black sand mining, illegal logging, and illegal mining in the proposed House investigation into the flooding.

“Comprehensive investigation ang dapat na gawin ng Kamara, dapat matapang nilang silipin ang mga nasa likod ng illegal logging at black sand mining na syang talamak sa Cagayan, dahil ito ang syang problema at dahilan ng paglubong ng lalawigan” Ramos said.

"Pahayag at panawagan ng aming grupo, itigil ang black sand mining, logging at protektahan ang kagubatan at environment," said DANGGAYAN Cagayan Valley, meanwhile, said.

The groups said since 2018, the Cagayan Provincial Board has been appealing to President Rodrigo Duterte to order dredging operations in the Cagayan River, which they said has already become shallow and prone to swelling.

The lawmakers are set to investigate the possible non-compliance with laws, rules, or regulations that may have contributed to the swelling of Cagayan River.

Aside from mining activities, the release of water from Magat Dam during the onslaught of Typhoon Ulysses was also being blamed for the flooding in the two provinces.

Due to the flooding, many people in Cagayan and Isabela were stranded on rooftops for three days without food and water as they waited to be rescued.

The groups said each of the 9.3 million calamity-stricken farmers and fishers are urgently calling for government assistance, through P15,000 agricultural production subsidy and P10,0000 cash aid. -Joviland Rita/MDM, GMA News