Calls to end mining get local support

CEBU, Philippines — Several public officials expressed support to the president’s pronouncement calling Congress to make a legislation banning mining operations in the country.

Naga City Mayor Kristine Chiong said she will abide whatever legislation that will be passed to regulate the mining and quarry operations.

“Let us allow the respective national agencies, including the Congress, to do their work. If they feel they need to amend it, then tan-awn nila,” she told reporters.

Chiong said a local government unit will just adopt to the laws that will be implemented.

“(As) much as ganahan ta nga taas ang income sa Naga, that means daghang ma-translate nga projects nga atong panginahanglan.  But whatever is best for Naga, I would want that to happen. If they will not allow the quarry, that would depend sa amendment sa balaod. As of now, by law, allowed man ang quarry,” she added.

Chiong said the Department of Environment Natural Resources is mandated by law to police mining and quarrying operations.

Meanwhile, Cebu City Councilor Raymond Alvin Garcia, who visited Naga City yesterday, said he will also support if the country will repeal or amend the existing law about mining and quarrying.

Garcia, a member of the PDP-Laban, said he will support the call to stop mining, especially after the landslide incident in Naga City, Cebu that displaced over thousands of families who have lost their homes and relatives.

Garcia believed that Cebu City government is “very lax” on the enforcement of laws related to mining and quarrying.

“Quarrying is not only the problem. Naay other activities like site developments. Because I was told gikan sa zoning board ug planning office, I won’t mention names lang, nga naay operators nga nag disguise og site development for housing project but quarry gyud diay ang tuyo,” he said.

Garcia, as member of the City Council, said he will push for an ordinance that will create a special task force that will look into the quarrying and other activities in the city.

He said the Cebu City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) has a very broad scope of work that is why a task force is needed that will monitor any activities in the mountain area.

“The creation of a special task force is needed because we don’t want a Naga City incident to happen in Cebu City,” Garcia added.

Also, Pulangbato Barangay Captain Marlene Macua sought the help of the Cebu City government and the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB)-7 to inspect the barangay where quarrying and illegal extractions of minerals are rampant in the area.

Macua said the barangay has been identified as one of the “critical areas” in Cebu in terms of landslide because of the quarry operations in the barangay.

“I already make an initial ocular inspection in some areas in my barangay where quarry operations are conducted. As a result thereof and to protect us from any incident of landslide, we will need your help as there are indications that our mountains here are no longer safe,” read a portion of Macua’s letter to the MGB-7.

Macua said the barangay has identified at least five critical sites in the barangay where quarrying and illegal extraction of minerals are rampant. These include the Riverside in Pulangbato; Manguyas, Pulangbato; Dita, Pulangbato; Aroma, Pulangbato; and Tayabas, Pulangbato.

She also identified 11 personalities that are reportedly doing quarry operations and other developments in Barangay Pulangbato.

Sought for comment, CENRO Head Ma. Nida Cabrera said she received Macua’s letter.

Cabrera said the Cebu City government has issued only one small-scale quarry operations to a certain Kelly Quijada who was ordered to suspend operations pending the inspection of the MGB.

While there’s only one quarry permit holder, Cabrera agreed that there are illegal quarry operators that are disguising themselves as site development for housing projects.

“Nag-request pod ang city sa MGB to inspect sa Barangay Pulangbato before ta mohatag ug go signal. Atong ipa-check if our quarry permit holder maka continue ba ug quarrying sa Barangay Pulangbato pero ang illegal, dili na gyud na. Among dakopon gyud na sila,” she said.

Cabrera urged other barangays in the mountain area to also inspect their respective barangays and inform the city of the result of their inspection.

In her October 1-letter to MGB-7 Officer-In-Charge Director Efren Carido, Cabrera requested for a joint-field verification on mineral extraction sites in Pulangbato.

Cabrera said the request for inspection and field verification is in line with the memorandum of Mayor Tomas Osmeña ordering the suspensions of quarry operations and site development in the said barangay last week.

Cabrera said she was told that Pulangbato has identified 11 personalities that are doing quarry and other activities in the barangay.

Of the 11 personalities, only two personalities have secured valid permits from the city government, Cabrera said.

To recall, Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu ordered for 15 days suspension of the quarry operations in Regions 1, 3, 4A, 5, 7, 10, 11, and 13 following the massive landslide in Barangay Tinaan in Naga City, Cebu that killed over 70 people. — GAN (FREEMAN)