MGB: No Chinese firms dredging in Zambales for island building in West PH Sea

BUDGET. Glenn Noble, the regional director of Mines and Geosciences Bureau in Central Luzon, speaking during the budget hearing of the DENR on August 26, 2026.

Dredged materials from Zambales go to the Bulacan airport and Manila Bay reclamation, says the regional director of Mines and Geosciences Bureau in Central Luzon

MANILA, Philippines – A regional chief of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) denied that Chinese firms are dredging in Zambales to build artificial islands in the West Philippine Sea.

“There is no such as thing as – there is no company as mentioned by our good congressman about a certain China dredging company,” said Glenn Noble, regional director of MGB in Central Luzon, during the budget hearing of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) on Wednesday, August 26.

According to Noble, dredged materials from Zambales go to the New Manila International Airport in Bulacan and reclamation projects in Manila Bay, contrary to reports that the materials go to artificial islands in the West Philippine Sea.

Noble enumerated the companies operating in Zambales rivers:

• Maloma River: Halrey Construction, Inc.
• Sto. Tomas River: Shuaful Resources, Inc.
• Bucao River: Greenphil Mineral Exploration and Development Corporation, Magnacorp Realty Development Corporation, Sevenwest Incorporated, Z2K Resources Incorporated, Chosen One Land Development Corporation

Mamamayang Liberal Representative Leila de Lima was asking environment officials on the status of China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC).

“I wanted to know: is it still currently operating under a valid DENR permit for dredging?” De Lima asked. The congresswoman filed a resolution in 2025 seeking a probe into Chinese operations.

China Harbour Engineering Company was contracted by SM Prime Holdings for land reclamation in Manila Bay.

It is a subsidiary of China Communications Construction Company, which the United States had flagged for building artificial islands in the South China Sea. (READ: Why the US embassy is ‘concerned’ over China’s Manila Bay reclamation project)

In 2024, the Philippine Coast Guard detained 17 vessels dredging in San Felipe, Zambales. The vessels were reportedly owned by China Harbour Engineering Co. Ltd. In the same year, the PCG detained MT Hyperline 988, anchored in San Felipe and manned by seven Chinese nationals. – Rappler.com