MGB rules out dredging as cause of Zambales beach erosion

The Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MBG) said dredging did not cause the coastal erosion in Barangay Liwliwa in San Felipe, Zambales, according to Oscar Oida’s Wednesday report on “24 Oras.”

“Meron na pong coastal erosion before dredging, so therefore, by situational analysis, hindi po dredging ang may problema diyan,” said geologist Noel Lacadin, MGB Region II regional director.

(There has been coastal erosion before dredging, so therefore, by situational analysis, dredging is not the problem.)

The MGB noted that a big part of the coastline in several towns in Zambales was once part of the sea before the eruption of Pinatubo Volcano in 1991.

“Noong pumutok si Pinatubo, a certain billion cubic meters po ang iniluwa ng bulkan e saan po pupunta yon? Either tabunan ang nasa foot slopes ng bulkan or pumunta ng dagat. As a matter of fact, we have the shoreline 1 kilometer to the east ng ating shoreline ngayon so ang abante sa San Felipe at San Narciso is 1 km from the 1977 shoreline,” Lacadin said.

(When Mount Pinatubo erupted, it released a certain billion cubic meters [of volcanic materials], and it either covered the foot slopes of the volcano or flowed into the sea. As a matter of fact, we now have the shoreline 1 km to the east of our current shoreline, so the advance in San Felipe and San Narciso is 1 km from the 1977 shoreline.)

Lacadin also said the area where the resorts were constructed is unclassified public land.

“Accretion po yan so wala pong titulo yan. Dapat di yan nilagyan ng building kasi sa ating building code, dapat may titulo ka bago ka mabigyan ng building permit at saka electrical and water fixtures. Unless you have a tenurial instrument from the DENR bibigyan ka ng certificate,” Lacadin said.

(That’s accretion, so it doesn’t have a title. A resort shouldn’t have been constructed there because, according to our building code, you need a land title before being granted a building permit, as well as approval for electrical and water fixtures. Unless you have a tenurial instrument from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, they will issue you a certificate.)

Resort owners and workers

Strong waves have toppled the structure featured on Tuesday's report that had been tied down to prevent it from collapsing into the sea.

Gladdys Pucio, a resort manager, said two of the beach resorts she managed were washed out by the waves.

“Lalo ako may anak akong Grade 10, may Grade 5, and may nasa SPED [Special Education]. Kami mga taga barrio pa po kami. Malayo po ang barrio sa bayan so yung panggastos namin araw araw dito lang namin kinukuha po napakalaki ng nawala sa amin ngayon,” Pucio said.

(I have children in Grade 10, Grade 5, and one in special education. We live far from the town. We only get our income here. We've lost so much now.)

Now, Pucio said they only rely on anything the resort owner gives them.

“Mabigyan lang kami ng pagkain pasalamat na ho kami. Wala rin sila mabigay kasi di na sila nag ooperate. Lahat po ng mga taga barrio saan mang lupalop ng San Felipe dito sa Liwliwa nagtatrabaho dito lang po talaga umaasa,” Pucio said.

(We’re thankful when we’re given food. The resort owner cannot give much since the resort is not operating. Everyone in Barangay Liwliwa, San Felipe is relying on their income here.)

Other resort owners expressed concern, as they might face the same fate.

Jojo Siscon, a resort owner, placed an improvised riprap to bar the waves from entering the resort.

MGB personnel and members of the Philippine National Police Maritime Unit were inspecting the area to see if it was safe for tourists.

It was reported earlier that some resort owners blamed dredging for the coastal erosion in the area.

San Felipe Mayor Engineer Reinhard Jeresano, however, said dredging helped reduce flooding in their area, especially since their river is heavily silted.

“Problema ng bayan yung binabaha lagi kasi if you will go to the upstream side I think 20 to 30 meters higher yung river bed kesa sa land side so lahat ng tubig sa bundok bago dadaan doon dadaan muna dito,” Jeresano said.

(Our problem is the constant flooding, because if you go to the upstream side, I think the riverbed is 20 to 30 meters higher than the land, so all the water from the mountain pass through here before it flows there.)

The San Felipe local government unit continues to coordinate with other government agencies to come up with a solution to the issues in the area.  — Mariel Celine Serquiña/BAP, GMA Integrated News