The Ilocos Sur provincial government and a Taiwanese mining firm have just signed an agreement for the immediate dredging of the narrow and silted Abra River which threatens low-lying areas in Metro Vigan, the Philippines.
Raymund Sinay, Environment and Natural Resources Management Officer, said that a monitoring and assessment of the Environmental Management Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and ENRO, showed that the historic Abra River, known as Banaoang River, is shallow and needs to be rehabilitated to lessen the impact of strong typhoons.
According to Sinay, urgent dredging of the river is needed in order to avoid intense flooding in Santa, Caoayan, Bantay, Sta. Catalina and Vigan.
He also said that under the agreement, the mining company will conduct the one-kilometer dredging operations using its own equipment and people with no government expenses.
The Taiwanese mining firm is in the process of complying with environmental requirements imposed by Mines and Geo-Sciences Bureau before conducting the dredging operations.