One of three big rivers in Zambales that had been rendered virtually dead since the Mt. Pinatubo eruption in 1991 will be rehabilitated and dredged of its lahar deposits by a dredging and mining company, reportedly at no cost to the government. Dredging of the Maloma River will be undertaken by Spartan Mining and Development Corp., which was recently granted an Environment Clearance Certificate (ECC) by Secretary Roy Cimatu of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). Socrates Babia, chairman and chief executive officer of Spartan, expressed optimism that the ECC on the other two bigger rivers in Zambales – Bucao River and Sto. Tomas River – will be approved soon and for which the company also applied to dredge five years ago.

Zambales river set for dredging. (2018, November 1). The Philippine Star, p. B7.