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The Cebu provincial government has launched an investigation into a statement by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) that crushed dolomite rocks from Cebu were being used to fill the 500-meter promenade of Manila Bay as part of the program. rehabilitation of the bay of the national agency.
Provincial board member John Ismael Borgonia (Cebu, 3rd district), who chairs the environment and natural resources committee, said reports that Cebu minerals were being used to develop Manila Bay “got him down for it. surprise”.
He said they will check which part of the province provided the dolomitic rocks for the DENR project.
“We are tracking, in particular, which beach and what they used (to extract). This is alarming. Suddenly, we heard that they took sand from us for Manila Bay, ”Borgonia told reporters on Friday, September 4, 2020.
DENR Undersecretary for Solid Waste Management and Local Government Units Concerns Benny Antiporda had told reporters that the “sand” brought to Manila was “dolomite rocks” crushed from Cebu.
Environmental issues
Malacañang has faced a wave of criticism over the Manila Bay rehabilitation project carried out at a time during the coronavirus crisis.
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque explained that funds for the project were already allocated even before the Covid-19 pandemic.
Environmentalists and fishermen also described the remodeling of Manila Bay, which cost the government around 349 million pesos, as destructive in the Cebu area where the “sand” was obtained, while hardly addressing degradation problems. environmental of the bay.
But beyond these issues about the timeliness and relevance of the project, Cebu officials want to know why no commitment was made to them that would allow dolomite to be extracted from the province and then turned into white sand for Manila Bay.
“As far as I know, they cannot just extract minerals from the Cebu quarry even if it is a National Government company because local governments have autonomy,” said Borgonia in Cebuano.
Borgonia said obtaining a permit to mine or extract minerals from Cebu is a tedious process.
“They have to ask for the necessary permission from the province of Cebu and the consent of the particular local government unit where they plan to extract. They cannot do it without our consent, ”added Borgonia.
Permissions
The Provincial Office of the Environment and Natural Resources (Penro) also wants to know if the mining operator responsible for the extraction of dolomite was engaged in small or large-scale mining.
Penro’s chief, Rodel Bontuyan, said the province only has jurisdiction over small-scale mining operations or those that operate within a five-hectare area.
Only the Office of Mines and Geosciences (MGB) has full jurisdiction over large-scale mining operations, Bontuyan explained.
According to Penro’s records, only the city of Alcoy, in southern Cebu, has a mining industry that is totally dependent on dolomite.
For its part, the DENR Central Visayas said it will verify if the material used to fill the stretch of the coast of Manila Bay actually comes from Cebu.
DENR 7 Communications Development Officer Maricita Cabasa said the DENR regional office is coordinating with MGB 7 to track mining permits that may have been issued.
Cabasa said a transfer permit would be needed to transport the minerals from Cebu to Manila. The rehabilitation of Manila Bay by DENR is under the responsibility of the Department of Public Works and Roads (DPWH).
“From our point of view, we are trying to trace where DPWH obtained the material and who they hired,” Cabasa said.
Immediately after winning the 2019 elections, Cebu Governor Gwendolyn García issued orders to halt the issuance of quarry permits throughout the province due to numerous violations committed by quarry operators.
Garcia also increased the number of requirements needed before the quarry operators receive the permits again.
“It is a classic example that quarrying is still being mined even if it has already been suspended in the province of Cebu. We will ask Penro to investigate where this is happening and if those who are doing it have the necessary permission, “said Borgonia. / JJL
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