13 dredging operators apply to desilt Cagayan River: gov

MANILA - At least 13 dredging operators have applied to desilt Cagayan River, a governor said Tuesday.

Cagayan Governor Manuel Mamba said the operators must have a capital of P1 billion and should be 60 percent Filipino-owned.

An inter-agency council has been created and identified 30 kilometers for the first phase of the dredging which will begin in the mouth of the river in Aparri town, Mamba said.

"Matagal po pero it is now becoming our goldmine. 'Yung tatanggalin po d'yan maibebenta po eh," he told ABS-CBN's Teleradyo.

(It will take a long time but it is now becoming our goldmine. We cans ell whatever we dredge.)

A heavily-silted Cagayan River, Typhoon Ulysses' rainfall from nearby provinces, and water release from Magat Dam had submerged the province and left at least 9 dead.

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"Convergence ng maraming factors po ito. Ang nag-exacerbate is the dam, 'yung papapakawala (ng tubig). Di naman namin nile-lay yung blame sa dam solely sa kanila lang," Mamba said.

(It was a convergence of many factors, what exacerbated it is the dam's water release. We're not laying the blame solely on them.)