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By SHERWIN DE VERA
www.nordis.net

BAGUIO CITY — Pangasinan People’s Strike for the Environment (PPSE) has opposed the reported resumption of black sand mining (magnetite sand) in Lingayen Gulf, warning that the operations threaten fishing grounds and the livelihoods of coastal communities.

The group raised concerns after a concerned citizen sent a video of a crane ship off the coast of Sual, Pangasinan, which it suspects may be linked to mining operations.

PPSE condemned the reported activity, saying that mineral extraction in the gulf would put additional pressure on fisherfolk already struggling with rising costs, poverty, and livelihood insecurity.

Two Financial and Technical Assistance Agreements cover areas in the Lingayen Gulf for magnetite sand extraction, according to the Mines and Geosciences Bureau public portal. Both permits are in the exploration stage and involve a renewable 25-year contract with the covenant.

Approved in June 2010, Altamina Exploration and Resources, Inc.’s permit covers 9,588 hectares across Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, and Pangasinan. 

The other permit was awarded to Iron Ore, Gold and Vanadium (Phils.) Inc. in November 2020, covering 10,064 hectares. According to the company’s public scoping document, the project would extract 25 million metric tons of magnetite sand offshore each year.

In a November 2021 statement, faculty at the University of the Philippines Marine Science Institute warned that the potential adverse effects of extracting magnetite in the Lingayen Gulf could outweigh the supposed benefits.

“The negative impacts on natural resources, coastal communities and their livelihood, and even on tourism may last beyond the life of the project, and could be irreversible,” the institute stated.

“It will only serve the short-term interests of those who will profit from a misguided development that threatens the lifeblood of Pangasinan and La Union,” UP MSI added.  

PPSE linked the issue to Executive Order No. 122, which it said promotes the development of the country’s critical minerals industry and its integration into global mineral supply chains. They said the policy prioritizes foreign business interests over the environment and the livelihoods of communities dependent on the gulf.

“Ang yaman ng dagat ay hindi lamang mineral na maaaring hukayin at iluwas. Ito ay buhay at kabuhayan ng mga mangingisda at komunidad na matagal nang umaasa sa Lingayen Gulf,” the group said.

(The wealth of the sea is not merely minerals that can be extracted and exported. It is the lifeblood and livelihood of fisherfolk and communities that have long depended on Lingayen Gulf.)#nordis.net