We, the undersigned residents, advocates, and concerned citizens, call for the immediate cancellation of all quarrying and mining activities in Rizal particularly in areas affecting the Marikina River System, including the Upper Marikina Watershed, riverbanks, and floodplains. These extractive operations are putting tens of thousands of lives at constant risk.

In 2024, the Marcos administration approved 10 new quarrying and mining permits in areas directly impacting the Marikina River. That same year, Typhoon Carina submerged large parts of Marikina, and the heavy rains that followed continued to threaten vulnerable communities. As the rainy season returns in 2025, we are at a tipping point. The decisions we make now will determine whether Marikina moves toward safety or plunges deeper into disaster.

In Marikina City alone, over 320,000 residents (around 70,000 households) face daily threats across 13 flood-prone barangays, including Tumana, Nangka, Jesus de la Peña, Santo Niño, Malanday, Concepcion Uno and Dos, Barangka, Calumpang, Industrial Valley, San Roque, Santa Elena, and Tañong. These communities, many of them working-class neighborhoods, lie along or near the Marikina River and its tributaries. For most residents, recovering from repeated flooding is nearly impossible.

If quarrying and mining persist, no amount of infrastructure will be enough to stop catastrophic floods. The Marikina River System’s natural ability to absorb and channel water is being destroyed by upstream deforestation caused by extractive industries. But if we protect the watershed and rehabilitate damaged ecosystems, we give Marikina a real chance at long-term safety and resilience amid the climate crisis.

WE URGE THE PUBLIC TO:

• DENOUNCE all quarrying and mining activities in Rizal, especially in areas affecting the Marikina River System;
• PUSH FOR A MORATORIUM on all extractive permits in critical ecological areas; and
• URGE the Marikina LGU to take a strong stand against quarrying and mining activities in Rizal.

Sign the petition now!