Senator says: Quarry ban to hurt construction industry

CEBU, Philippines — Believing that it would harm the construction industry as well as the "Build, Build, Build" program of the current administration, Senator Cynthia Villar frowns on the call for a nationwide total ban on quarry operations.

Villar instead calls on for responsible quarry operations and that Local Government Units (LGU) must not allow residents to live near quarry sites to prevent a repeat of the Naga City, Cebu landslide tragedy.

The tragedy claimed over a hundred lives and several other individuals missing when a massive landslide, allegedly due to quarry, occurred last month.

"We cannot suspend everything because the quarry is needed by our construction industry lalo na meron tayong Build, Build, Build program. We need the raw materials for this," Villar said.

She added that quarry operators should be extra cautious in choosing the place of quarry and that is should be far from the residents, so that no lives will be put to danger.

The lady senator added that the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) should be responsible enough in issuing permits to quarry operators.

Aside from the DENR, Villar said that the LGUs, who will also be issuing permits to quarry operators, should see to it that the quarry sites is far from where the people are residing.

"The Philippines is the most disaster prone country in the world. We should be careful and responsible with our quarry operations," Villar added.

Villar, however, also noted that some people are just too hard headed when they insist on staying at their residences, even if they have been asked to leave danger zones.

"Kay dapat talaga strong enforcement of the law," Villar said.

Villar, who heads the Senate committee on environment, was in Cebu yesterday as one the guest speakers of the Kilusang Pagbabago Visayas Congress. (FREEMAN)