LAOAG CITY – Livelihood of residents from 30 villages in Bacarra and Vintar, Ilocos Norte, which are near the Bislak River, got a boost following the distribution of their shares in the PHP4.95 million extraction fees from dredging of the heavily-silted river.
Their share in the revenues from the soon-to-start dredging activities of Harbor Star Shipping Servicing Inc. is on top of the alternative source of livelihood that will be provided to them during the duration of the 10-year dredging and river restoration project.
For this year, the affected communities will be given PHP560,000 worth of fish cages and fingerlings with feeds, PHP500,000 worth of first aid kits, medicines, and nebulizers, among others, and a community-based mangrove seedlings site worth PHP180,000 will be established to aid their livelihood and to promote health and wellness.
In November last year, farmers in the host communities also received fattening cattle for the establishment of a community-based livestock production, which has a total amount of PHP1.76 million.
The villages will get at least 40 percent share in the extraction fees to be paid by Harbor Star Shipping Services Inc., which in 2023, was granted an exclusive permit to dredge around 26 kilometers of the heavily-silted Bislak River.
The dredging and river restoration project has the go signal of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, which issued DENR Administrative Order (DAO) No. 2020-07.
Under the DAO, companies with technical and financial capabilities may apply for a dredging clearance for this particular project with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
Ilocos Norte Governor Matthew Marcos Manotoc, who led the ceremonial distribution of checks to host communities at the Vintar auditorium on Thursday, said the benefits from the project have started pouring in.
“We need to dredge our river because of heavy siltation. Help us guard the river against illegal activities,” he said.
Jack Agraan, village chief of Tamdagan, Vintar, said his more than 1,500 constituents are happy to receive the most share in the extraction fees.
Barangay Tamdagan, located in the upper stream of the Bislak River, got a check worth PHP366,197.40 since at least 25 percent of the village territory along the riverbank will be dredged by Harbor Star.
“This is a big help to our barangay to improve our way of life. Dredging the river will mitigate flooding in the low-lying communities. We also benefit from it with a guaranteed share in extraction fees as well as the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) projects,” Agraan told the Philippine News Agency.
San Nicolas, Vintar village chief Paul Anthony Dalere said their livestock production has increased with the help of the CSR projects. (PNA)
