Pamalakaya welcomes revocation of Ilocos Sur seabed quarry permit

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January 4, 2026 | 12:00am

SANTA, Ilocos Sur, Philippines — Militant fishers’ group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas or Pamalakaya has welcomed the revocation of a permit that allowed quarrying activities in the seabed of Ilocos Sur.

In a letter dated Dec. 22, 2025, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Ilocos canceled an agreement it entered into with Isla Verde Mining Development Co. after finding out that the IVMDC extended the quarrying activities outside the designated navigational channel and river dredging zone.

Pamalakaya vice chairman Ronnel Arambulo attributed the cancellation to sustained protests and mass actions launched by fisherfolk, coastal residents and environmental advocates.

Arambulo described the revocation as a victory for fishing communities displaced by the quarrying.

However, the group said that stopping the project is not enough as residents continue to suffer from the effects of losing their livelihood and environmental damage. 

Pamalakaya said that affected residents and environmentalists are demanding appropriate compensation for income losses and irreversible damage to marine ecosystems.

The group said that before the dredging operation started in 2024, small-scale fishermen could collect at least 100 cans of ipon or bottom-dwelling fish, per fishing expedition. 

Since the quarrying started, fishermen often return home with empty nets as dredging activities have disrupted fish habitats and drove marine life away.

Pamalakaya urged the DENR to assess the extent of damage to coral reef, coastal resources and fishing areas as well as rehabilitate the seabed and compensate fishermen.

A local cause-oriented group called Defenders of Ilocos Sur, which has been actively campaigning against the operation of the IVMC, welcomed the cancellation of the permit.