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AUTHORITIES are assessing whether local permits issued for dredging operations are being exploited to sup-port foreign strategic interests.
According to Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is deeply concerned that materials extracted from Philippine waters — particularly sand — may be illicitly finding their way into China's reclamation activities in the West Philippine Sea.
"The president has issued a clear directive to conduct a thorough probe into dredging and reclamation efforts nationwide, following reports of potential misuse of extracted materials," said Castro.
On Tuesday, Malacañang announced that the president has ordered a nationwide investigation into all dredg-ing operations.
The directive came in the wake of a tragic incident on April 15, 2025, when a dredging vessel operated by Bluemax Tradelink Inc. capsized in Rizal town, resulting in the death of nine crew members, including several Chinese.
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According to Occidental Mindoro Gov. Eduardo Gadiano, he approved the dredging operations of Bluemax along the coastal areas of Rizal and Mamburao towns, citing authority granted to him under the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Administrative Order 2020-12.
Under the said administrative order, an inter-agency task force composed of regional directors of the DENR, DPWH, MGB, and EMB is chaired by the provincial governor, who is empowered to issue permits to dredging companies seeking to operate within the province.
He said that the dredging was aimed at addressing flooding in the province because their river was heavily silted.
