DENR reinstates agreement with Ilocos Sur mining company

For more than a year, Isla Verde’s dredging operated amid complaints from fisherfolk and coastal residents who stressed that their sources of income and safety were affected.

By Shan Kenshin Ecaldre 
Bulatlat.com

LAGUNA — How can a revoked mining agreement get reinstated a day later?

Coastal communities in Santa and nearby areas of Ilocos Sur were once again thrown into uncertainty following the reinstatement of a memorandum of agreement (MOA) between the Department of Environment and Natural Resources–Regional Office I (DENR-RO1) and Isla Verde Mining and Development Corporation (IVMDC).

The agreement allows the resumption of large-scale dredging operations that residents say have already damaged their livelihoods and the environment.

The reinstatement, confirmed on January 5, 2026, reverses what communities believed was a hard-fought victory of the revocation of Isla Verde’s permit in December 2025 following months of protests, dialogues, and documented violations.

Environmental defenders and local residents question how a permit revoked on December 22 could be reinstated just a day later (December 23) without public explanation or consultation.

“From all these points, it is clear that only the interests of a few are being served, not those of the people,” said Clio Nadine Rojas, spokesperson of Defend Ilocos Sur, in a video statement.

Overnight revocation

According to Defend Ilocos Sur, the cancellation of the MOA was the result of sustained collective action by fisherfolk, residents, and environmental advocates who exposed Isla Verde’s continued operations despite suspension orders. Prayer rallies, mass actions, and dialogues forced DENR-RO1 to act, at least temporarily.

“We later learned that the revocation was issued on December 22, only to be immediately reinstated on December 23,” Rojas said. “It was as if the people were being toyed with.”

For community members, the speed of the reinstatement raises questions about transparency and accountability within DENR-RO1. Rojas said that during a dialogue on November 19, 2025, Isla Verde’s suspension was discussed. Isla Verde failed to provide key documents required for the resumption of its operations including a clear technical description of its dredging activities, proof that it is operating within the designated river dredging zone, and the renewal of its ore transport permit. Despite the absence of these requirements, DENR-RO1 proceeded with the MOA’s reinstatement.

“There was supposed to be another dialogue with stakeholders before any suspension could be lifted,” Rojas said. “None of that happened.”

Livelihood buried by dredging

For more than a year, Isla Verde’s dredging operated amid complaints from fisherfolk and coastal residents who stressed that their sources of income and safety were affected. Fisherfolks reported decline in fish catch while residents pointed to worsening coastal erosion that threatens homes and community structures.

“In more than a year of dredging, Isla Verde has failed to recognize the destruction it has caused to livelihoods, homes, and the environment,” Rojas said. “And until now, there has been no proper compensation for affected fisherfolk, no meaningful rehabilitation of damaged areas.”

Environmental groups warned that continued dredging would destabilize coastal ecosystems already strained by climate-related disasters.

Betrayal of people’s gains

Kalikasan People’s Network for the Environment echoed these concerns, denouncing the reinstatement of the MOA as a betrayal of the people’s struggle. The group said that Isla Verde was compelled to stop operations after it violated suspension orders and a cease-and-desist directive from the Mines and Geosciences Bureau–Region I.

“In less than 24 hours, DENR-RO1 set aside the cancellation and caved in to a mere letter of reconsideration,” Kalikasan said in a statement. “This obscene turnaround exposes where the agency’s loyalty lies, not with the people, but with corporate plunderers.”

The group stressed that dredged materials were transported to Pasay City and Bulacan despite claims that the project was intended for flood mitigation in Metro Vigan. Such actions, they said, further undermine the narrative that dredging serves public interest.

Power, profit, and politics

Critics also linked the dredging project to entrenched political and economic interests in Ilocos Sur. Former governor Luis “Chavit” Singson and incumbent Gov. Jerry Singson defended the dredging as necessary for flood control. Environmental advocates, however, said that this defense is rooted in bureaucrat capitalism where political influence shields corporate ventures from scrutiny.

Kalikasan cited the Singson family’s business interests, including infrastructure and mining investments, as evidenced by the entanglement between political power and profit in the province. For affected communities, these connections only deepen mistrust toward government assurances.

Calls for accountability

Defend Ilocos Sur and allied groups are now renewing their demands. They are calling on DENR-RO1 to explain the reinstatement of the MOA, to release all documents related to Isla Verde’s operations, and to consult affected communities before allowing any project to proceed.

They are also pushing for accountability both for Isla Verde and for government officials who enabled the dredging despite the violations. Just compensation for affected fisherfolk and the rehabilitation of damaged coastal areas, they said, must no longer be delayed.

As dredging threatens to resume in Santa and neighboring areas, communities in Ilocos Sur say they are once again bracing for resistance. Drawing from a long history of opposing destructive mining and environmental plunder, residents vow to remain vigilant.

“Isla Verde is not a genuine community development partner,” Rojas said. “Through your destructive dredging, you are pushing people further into danger. What is needed now is collective action.” (RTS, DAA)

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