Itchon, hired by Negros Integrated Industries Corporation that works with Hofilena, tried to stop the team from entering the site but the team members asserted their right to assess its environmental impact.

Impact on livelihood

The Marañon family, a political clan that currently holds key positions in the local government such as in the offices of the governor, mayor and a district representative, has long been criticized for their involvement in mining in the province. In a news report published in 2011, Bacolod Bishop Vicente Navarra said he is appealing to the “conscience of those engaged” specifically on the dredging activities in Old Sagay.

“As a citizen and an environmentalist, we have already been expressing our public objection to this kind of business. As a matter of fact, several groups, especially those who are affected and other stakeholders, have already expressed their objections as well as their fears that something will happen to them, their livelihood and even their lives because of the mining activities,” Navarra said in a report.

Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr. has been quoted in several news reports denying his involvement in the mining activities in Negros Occidental. He said the granting of permit to these mining companies is the responsibility of the national government, through the Mines and Geosciences Bureau, not the provincial government.

But in a report published in October 2011, he said Aspac is using his beach house, which was only a few meters away from the mining site, as seen by the fact finding team. He also pointed out, in a separate report, that the government is earning a lot from taxes that the mining companies are paying them.

For the locals, the mining operations brought them nothing but hardships. In fact, the onset of mining has brought adverse impact on their livelihood and would result in their displacement from their homes.

Mitante told Bulatlat.com that he has been living in Old Sagay all his life. In his 45 years of existence, fishing has been their only source of livelihood. The same is true for his neighbors who live along the coastal area. Before, he used to earn $12 every time he would fish. But his income decreased by half when commercial fish pens were installed in their area, leaving small fisherfolk like him with very few catch.

But the onset of magnetite mining has posed more difficulties for him because they were barred from fishing within its vicinity. Local fisherfolk told the fact-finding mission that their income has decreased from $8.5 to $1.2 or by 700 percent. But what Mitante worries about more nowadays is the possibility of losing their home. Village officials told him and 200 more families that they should accept the offer to transfer to another community, which is relatively far from the coastal area.

“We do not want to lose our home,” Mitante said, adding that they were told that if they are not going to leave, “they would bulldoze my house.”

He got reports that their area would be cleared because it would also be mined. “If they would destroy our home, we have nowhere to go,” Mitante said.

Some 1,000 families living along coastal areas also fear losing their homes due to flooding brought about by the high tide. Ramos, one of the fisherfolk, said the reach of the waves have increased by 75 meters since the start of the supposed dredging in the Himoga-an river. In an interview with Efren Fabila, a mining engineer based in Negros Occidental, said that one of the consequences of dredging is the altering of the river bottom’s topography.

Fabila said changes in the river’s bottom increase the volume of the flow of the water. This, he added, explains the progressive erosion along the river banks that the coastal residents observed.

“This exposed more of the shoreline to the impact of the tide, in addition to increasing erosion of the river’s banks due to the greater amount and speed of the water in the river,” the report of the fact finding team read, quoting Fabila.

If their homes would be damaged by flooding or typhoons, he said, they are being prohibited from repairing it.

“Marañons should put a stop to this mining. Many people are affected,” Mitante said.

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