THE OPERATION OF the Lemery cement and fuel silos in Lemery, Batangas since 2020 has been causing great suffering for the fisherfolk in the area, whose health, environment and livelihood are negatively impacted by it.
The Inquirer reported that fisherfolk and coastal residents in Lemery, Batangas, have launched a petition campaign calling on the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to investigate the alleged environmental, health and livelihood impacts of a cement factory operating in Barangay Sinisian West.
The Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) announced the petition drive after residents raised their concerns during a consultation last July 13.
According to Pamalakaya, fisherfolk and coastal residents identified several issues that they attributed to the operations of the Sinisian Lemery Batangas Port & Industrial Park (SLBPIP), which hosts the cement factory and fuel depots.
Residents complained of excessive noise from machinery and heavy equipment, restrictions on fishing activities because of a no-sail zone within the industrial park’s perimeter, dust emissions that they said caused respiratory problems, and recurring oil spills.
They also alleged that the company failed to comply with the prescribed salvage zone for its seawall under DENR Administrative Order No. 2004-04. They said industrial structures in the area had also weakened an existing catch basin, contributing to flooding in nearby communities.
Since the cement factory began operating in our area in 2025, residents immediately noticed its effects on our environment, livelihood and health, said Donny Villalobos, a fisherfolk resident.
We are calling on the government agencies concerned to immediately investigate its serious effects on the community and fishing grounds. Fisherfolk and residents have long complained about the nuisance it has caused, including noise, dirt and marine pollution from the factory.
Pamalakaya Vice Chairperson Ronnel Arambulo urged the DENR to inspect the facility and investigate the residents’ complaints.
The DENR should immediately conduct an inspection into the factory’s alleged violations of environmental regulations. The government should not disregard the grievances of affected residents, who have endured the nuisance and dangers posed by the factory for more than a year.
Pamalakaya said their petition seeks government action on the residents’ complaints, including an investigation into the industrial facility’s alleged environmental impacts on nearby coastal communities and fishing grounds.
The group said Wednesday that it was urging the DENR and other government agencies concerned to act on the issues raised by affected residents.
The Inquirer tried but failed to get a comment from Lemery Cement Silo Tank Corp., which is listed on the website of Sinisian Lemery Batangas Port & Industrial Park Corp.
On January 24,2020, the Manila Standard wrote that the Sinisian Lemery Batangas Port and Industrial Park Corp. (SLBPIPC) recently broke ground for a billion-peso, six-hectare port and industrial park, a major gateway to Southern Luzon upon its completion in 2021.
Company president/CEO Ferdinand Co informed the guests that the project will address the congestion of ports in the region and augment infrastructure demands in southern Luzon outside of the Build Build Build program of the Rodrigo Duterte administration.
Co, who is also the general manager of the Cohaco Merchandising and Development Corp. said the port and industrial park is equipped with international and domestic deep port facilities to cater to industrial port and warehousing needs for import and export distribution.
“The deep port can be up to 30 meters deep and 160 meters wide and can handle even up to a Panamax vessel, which is very rare to have in the Philippines. Locators can use that port and use our warehouse for them to be able to import or export,” he said.
“If they import, they can use that as an advantage–since we’re located in Batangas–to distribute to Southern Luzon, Metro Manila or even nearby islands. If Subic Port is strategic for Central Luzon, then we’re strategic for Southern Luzon,” he added.
Cohaco is one of the main stakeholders in the project and led in the groundbreaking for the two anchor locators of the port and industrial park, the Lemery Cement Silo Tank Corp. and Lemery Oil Terminal Corp.
Operations of the three projects commenced by the first quarter of 2021 and Co noted that the SLBPIP is on the lookout for oil importers for the oil terminal, which will be open to independent oil and fuel importers.
Co added that the Makati-based cement importer Cohaco itself will be one of the occupiers of the cement silo to warehouse high-quality, imported cement from China, Vietnam, Indonesia, among others.
Located in Brgy. Sinisian West, Lemery Highway in Batangas, the port and industrial park is 104 kilometers away from Manila, 68km away from the Laguna International Industrial Park and 68.4km away from the First Cavite Industrial Estate, making it a viable option for locators seeking to expand operations.
I am not against economic progress, but please not at the expense of the small people whose only recourse is to push the government into action, that is if the officials (both national and local) will listen to them and take their side.
The government must assert its regulatory power and impose sanctions for violation to the original agreement that I am pretty sure imposed safeguards to the livelihoods, life and health of both people and environment, which the operating companies completely ignored because it is an added cost.
Will the government continue to be insensitive to the plight of the Filipino citizens?