Following complaints from residents: Stop illegal quarry - Rama

CEBU, Philippines —  Illegal quarrying in Cebu City will have to stop, Mayor Michael Rama said, following complaints from residents, especially in mountain barangays.

“Once and for all, stop all illegal quarrying… stop gyud… stop,” Rama said.

Residents in some areas in mountain barangays have reportedly noted more and more quarrying activities that have caused inconvenience and danger.

A priest assigned in Barangay Pulangbato, Fr. Ruel Marigomen, relayed to Councilor Joel Garganera an incident involving a truck that has been transporting sand and stone. The truck was carried away by a recent flood.

“Father Ruel Marigomen of Pedro Calungsod church in Barangay Pulangbato nagpadala nako og video sa likod sa among simbahan diin naabtan og baha ang usa ka 10-wheeler truck nga nagsige og hakot ug balas ug bato,” Garganera said in a Facebook post.

Garganera called on the Pulangbato officials, Cebu City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CCENRO), and the city disaster team to look into the matter.

The Sangguniang Kabataan chairman of Budlaan, Lester Archival, also expressed concern in a separate interview with The Freeman.

“For the past eight years, we’ve seen development, especially road concreting from Talamban going to Sitio Baugo (Budlaan). However, nagkadugay nagkabati man ug balik ang atong kadalanan for the past years tungod sa mga dagko nga dumptrucks nga everyday nagsulod-gawas sa atong Barangay. QUARRY OPERATIONS left and right,” Archival said.

Archival said they have noted more quarrying activities from different operators since 2021 but the effects of which were experienced only recently, especially during heavy rains.

“Nag-cause of grabeng traffic, grabe nga abog ug lapok, nangaputol nga wires sa internet nga makaapekto sa mga nagtrabaho ug naskwela, mag-operate 24 hours usahay nga makadisturbo oras sa pahuway, and now, grabe nga landslides. Daghan ang nagreklamo pero nganung wala gyud action para mapahunong? Until when man ang kalbaryo sa mga tao? Anha na ba ta mohunong kung naa nay mangamatay? I am for development pero mas importante ang welfare sa kadaghanan,” Archival said.

Archival said he has raised these concerns to the barangay council but was told the operators have quarrying permits.

Archival said he wonders why the permits were given considering that one of their sitios in Budlaan was categorized as “very high or critical” landslide-prone area in 2014 by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)-7.

Garganera said he will ask for a list of quarry operators in the city from CCENRO, DENR’s Environmental Management Bureau (EMB), and the Cebu City Mining Regulatory Board.

At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, questionable quarrying activities were also reportedly noted in Barangays Pardo, Agsungot, and Guba.

Rama said he will convene all departments concerned to discuss the matter to make sure action will be taken.

 “Probably I will have an executive order, if not a directive. Kung naa tay gubat sa basura, gubat sa sunog o kayo, gubat sa baha… then we will have a directive or EO para, once and for all, stop all illegal quarrying… I will find a way para ma-convene nato ni sila,” Rama said. – JMO (FREEMAN)