In Bohol Chatto halts small-scale mining

TAGBILARAN CITY, Philippines — Bohol Governor Edgar Chatto has issued a memorandum suspending small-scale mining operations in the province for 15 working days (September 24 to October 15), in the light of the Sept. 20 landslide in Naga City, Cebu that killed more than 50 people.

The Bohol Environment Management Office (BEMO) distributed to the media a signed copy of the memorandum late Tuesday.

Chatto’s memo said the suspension of small-scale mining in the province is necessary as the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources will conduct first geo-hazard assessment on the mining sites and surrounding communities.

The governor also issued another memorandum creating a multipartite assessment team to conduct the safety and geo-hazard evaluation, by the BEMO headed by Jovencia Ganub.

There are small-scale mining activities in the province, particularly in Garcia Hernandez town.

Last Sept. 21, MGB Director Wilfredo Moncano issued a memorandum ordering the suspension of all quarry operations in the Ilocos, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Central Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, and Caraga regions for 15 days.

Moncano said the MGB will conduct a re-evaluation of all the quarrying cites in these regions to prevent catastrophic incidents from happening, such as those in Barangay Tinaan, Naga, Cebu, and Itogon, Benguet, where about 70 people also died. - PNA