CEBU, Philippines - Talisay City Councilor Bernard Joseph Odilao fears extraction of sand and gravel from the Mananga River and in some areas in the mountain barangays could cause flooding.
Odilao would like Mayor Socrates Fernandez to issue an order that would stop the extraction.
Odilao said the extraction in barangay Lagtang is reported to disturb the community.
“The continued quarrying along and within the river basin of Mananga River has cause siltation and eroded the top soil, which has affected vegetation downstream,” Odilao said in his resolution.
Odilao also said the road leading to the other mountain barangay has become slippery due to dirt and mud tailings.
He said trucks that transport the sand and gravel also slow down the flow of traffic thereby delaying the delivery of basic services in the area.
Fernandez said he is waiting for a response from the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (Penro) to his request for a temporary suspension of permits for quarrying.
In his letter to Penro officer-in-charge Nerces Bispo, the mayor asks for a list of all persons within the last three years who were cleared for quarrying.
MGB geo-hazard mapping in 2009 indicates that all mountain barangays in the city are prone to landslides. - THE FREEMAN