{"id":18566,"date":"2026-02-01T10:45:30","date_gmt":"2026-02-01T02:45:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/journaldailynewsonline.com.ph\/?p=18566"},"modified":"2026-02-01T10:45:30","modified_gmt":"2026-02-01T02:45:30","slug":"fishers-group-rejects-governors-stance-on-dredging-quarrying-in-zambales-warns-of-long-term-environmental-damage","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/journaldailynewsonline.com.ph\/index.php\/2026\/02\/01\/fishers-group-rejects-governors-stance-on-dredging-quarrying-in-zambales-warns-of-long-term-environmental-damage\/","title":{"rendered":"FISHER\u2019S GROUP REJECTS GOVERNOR\u2019S STANCE ON DREDGING, QUARRYING IN ZAMBALES; WARNS OF LONG -TERM ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE"},"content":{"rendered":"

PAMBANSANG Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (PAMALAKAYA) renewed their opposition to the ongoing dredging and quarrying operations in Zambales.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The fisher\u2019s group criticized Zambales Gov. Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. for defending the dredging and quarrying projects on economic grounds despite their alleged long-term environmental damage.<\/strong><\/p>\n

PAMALAKAYA said the provincial government\u2019s emphasis on revenues and assistance programs for fishermen fails to address what it described as irreversible harm to marine ecosystems that sustain coastal communities.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The group warned that while the damage may not be immediately apparent, future generations of fisherfolk would bear the consequences.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cThe end does not justify the means. No matter how beneficial a program appears, if it causes environmental destruction, its negative impact will eventually be felt by the people,\u201d the group stressed.<\/strong><\/p>\n

PAMALAKAYA and environmental law group Tanggol Kalikasan have raised concerns that the provincial government\u2019s multi-million-peso fishing modernization program is being used to temper public criticism of dredging and quarrying activities.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

The group cautioned that the distribution of fishing boats and equipment could obscure what they called the continuing degradation of municipal waters and coastal areas.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The criticism followed recent remarks by Ebdane, who defended dredging and quarrying as major sources of provincial revenue, in his recent State of the Province Address (SOPA).<\/strong><\/p>\n

The governor said income from these activities supports priority social services and bolsters the province\u2019s general fund and in\u00a0 pursuing the development of other economic sectors, particularly agriculture and fisheries, as part of efforts to create a more resilient and self-sustaining local economy.<\/strong><\/p>\n

However, environmental advocates questioned the sustainability of dependence on extractive industries.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

They warned that dredging operations can disrupt marine habitats, accelerate coastal erosion, and reduce fish populations – effects that disproportionately impact small-scale fisherfolk.<\/strong><\/p>\n

PAMALAKAYA vice chairperson Ronnel Arambulo acknowledged the need to modernize the fisheries sector but stressed that such efforts should not compromise the protection of municipal waters.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cModernization is important, but the government must prioritize the preservation of municipal waters and coastal resources,\u201d Arambulo said.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

He urged fishing communities to remain vigilant, claiming that government assistance, including donated fishing boats, could be used to deflect accountability for dredging projects that allegedly threaten coastal livelihoods.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Arambulo challenged the provincial government to openly address the environmental impacts of dredging, as pro-environment groups called on Ebdane to engage in a public debate.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

The group said the governor should justify dredging as a key revenue source while environmental advocates present evidence of its long-term social and ecological costs.<\/strong><\/p>\n

According to PAMALAKAYA, genuine development should strike a balance between economic growth and environmental protection, rather than forcing communities to choose between short-term assistance and the preservation of the natural resources they depend on.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

PAMBANSANG Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (PAMALAKAYA) renewed their opposition to the ongoing dredging and quarrying operations in Zambales. The fisher’s group criticized Zambales<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":18567,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[6],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/journaldailynewsonline.com.ph\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18566"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/journaldailynewsonline.com.ph\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/journaldailynewsonline.com.ph\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/journaldailynewsonline.com.ph\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/journaldailynewsonline.com.ph\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18566"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/journaldailynewsonline.com.ph\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18566\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18568,"href":"https:\/\/journaldailynewsonline.com.ph\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18566\/revisions\/18568"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/journaldailynewsonline.com.ph\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18567"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/journaldailynewsonline.com.ph\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18566"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/journaldailynewsonline.com.ph\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18566"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/journaldailynewsonline.com.ph\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18566"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}