Macarthur: The Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) is working to find mutually acceptable ways to remove the massive cutter suction dredger deployed by a mining firm to extract minerals in this town. MGB Eastern Visayas Regional Director Glenn Marcelo Noble stated that the agency has been meeting with Strong Built Mining Development Corp. (SBMDC) and affected residents to determine the best method for pulling out the dredger. "We want the dredger to be pulled out from the roadside through means acceptable to both parties," Noble said.
According to Philippines News Agency, during a dialogue held Wednesday, SBMDC presented several proposals for removing the dredger, which is roughly the size of a six-story building, measuring about 30 meters wide and 150 meters long. Bernard Baluda, SBMDC assistant vice president for compliance, mentioned options such as rotating the dredger toward the shore or allowing it to cross the highway for more maneuvering space. However, affected farmers are advocating for the dredger to be moved backward or dismantled into scrap to prevent further damage to their farms.
"It's not like a car that can simply be reversed. We also cannot just scrap the dredger since it is very expensive. We are studying all options for its pullout," Baluda stated during the dialogue in MacArthur town. Affected farmers who attended the dialogue will vote on which pullout option they would choose, with the voting subject to validation by MGB. SBMDC also proposed deploying smaller dredgers to minimize disruption.
The giant dredger arrived in Leyte in early January and moved inland in MacArthur town for several weeks before it was stopped in mid-February from crossing the national highway due to strong opposition from farmers affected by black sand mining. Lawyer Rafael Pajares, counsel for the affected farmers, challenged the company's claims, stating that if SBMDC can move the machine inland, it should also be capable of moving it backward. "We want the immediate pullout of the dredger and a halt to mining operations, as these have already affected the residents' livelihoods," Pajares said.
Jesus Cabias Jr., spokesperson for the protesting farmers, reported that mining activities have transformed 13.79 hectares of rice fields into a lake, with impacts extending to 43 hectares of farmland in MacArthur. The project has been temporarily suspended pending approval of its three-year development program. "There may be no ongoing mining operations now, but 13.79 hectares of prime irrigated rice land have already been destroyed, and another 43 hectares out of a total of 56.79 hectares have been damaged," Cabias said. SBMDC was granted a Mineral Production Sharing Agreement (MPSA) on July 28, 2007, covering 7,411.55 hectares across several towns, but is currently authorized to operate in only 2,268 hectares in MacArthur town based on existing permits.
