Filipino seafarers condemn hiring of Chinese crewmen off Manila Bay
Halrey Construction needs a permit from the DENR, DPWH, and Zambales LGU to extract sand from the Bucao River in Zambales
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Halrey Construction needs a permit from the DENR, DPWH, and Zambales LGU to extract sand from the Bucao River in Zambales
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Out-of-work Filipino seamen condemned the alleged dredging activities of Chinese vessels off Manila Bay manned by Chinese crewmen for a reclamation project in the area.
The Samahan ng Nagkaka-Isang Marinong Pilipino claimed the Chinese dredgers are the same vessel type used to reclaim islands in the West Philippine Sea.
According to the SNMP, the vessels are supposed to be under a bareboat charter (temporarily under the Philippine flag arrangement) but employ only Chinese crew, which is illegal under local laws.
Chinese vessels and crew are only permitted to conduct business in the Philippine domestic waters if given a special permit by the Maritime Industry Authority.
The SNMP has officially lodged their complaint to the Department of Labor and Employment Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma and Department of Migrant Workers Secretary Toots Ope. They also sent the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Office of the President copies of the complaint.
It was learned that one of the contractors in the Manila Bay reclamation project, China Harbor Engineering Corp., is using 3-in-1 dredgers similar to the vessels used in reclaiming islands in the disputed West Philippine Sea. They started their activities in May this year, hauling sand from Zambales.
The other Chinese company whose vessels were reportedly the subject of an ongoing Philippine Coast Guard investigation for conducting alleged illegal activity in Manila Bay is the China First Engineering Company, the main contractor of the Waterfront Reclamation Project. Both companies are under the China Communication Construction Corporation or CCCC, a company sanctioned by the US government in 2020 for allegedly building and militarizing the disputed artificial islands in the South China Sea.
CHEC vessels extract sand from the Bucao River in Botolan Zambales and dump it in Manila Bay under a sand supply contract with a local company called Global Sand Ventures Inc.
One of the incorporators of Global Sand Ventures Inc belongs to the family of the wife of former Executive Secretary Victor Rodriguez, who owns Halrey Construction Inc., represented by Josefa Halili of Sta. Maria, Bulacan. Halrey Construction needs a permit from the DENR, DPWH, and Zambales LGU to extract sand from the Bucao River in Zambales, the SNMP said.
It was reported that the sand supply deal with the Chinese contractor was sealed during the time of Executive Secretary Victor Rodriguez in Malacanang Palace.
It can be recalled that the former Executive Secretary drew censure for his controversial appointment of ferry operator Christopher Pastraña as general manager of the Philippine Ports Authority. This is because Pastrana's core business partner in his Archipelago Philippine Ferries Corp., which operates the FastCat ferry network, Dennise Trajano, is a brother-in-law of Rodriguez, their wives Meah and Cel being sisters.
