Penro: Quarry Suspension to Last Until Firms Can Prove Their Operations Are Safe

Cebu Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (Penro) head Jason Lozano said the suspension order for quarry operations issued by Gov. Hilario P. Davide III late last week will run until such time the mountain quarry companies can prove that their operations are safe in order to avoid a similar incident that happened Barangay Tinaan, City of Naga, on Thursday last week.

Davide, in a news conference, expressed concern over the Sept. 20 tragedy, which was blamed on the digging activities of a Naga-based company causing soil and boulders to erode and cover over 60 houses, leaving 51 dead and at least 47 people missing.

Davide said he is amenable to the move for a total shut down of mining companies found to have violated the regulations. However, consideration should be given to companies that strictly-comply with the appropriate mining guidelines. He said a lot of people also depend on these companies for employment, while the construction industry will also suffer since cement production will also be halted.

Lozano explained that small-scale permittees under Cebu Province are the ones covered by the governor’s order. This included companies that are operating with an area coverage of up to a maximum of five hectares.

The suspension pertains to mountain quarries of limestones and diorites, while hauling of sand and gravel are not included, he clarified.

Limestones are sedimentary or sandy rocks, a mineral that is among the components of making a cement binder mostly used for construction of buildings, houses, roads and pavements.

“Large scale operations or those that goes beyond five hectares are under the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Mines and Geosciences Bureau (DENR-MGB),” Lozano said in an interview over radio dyCM yesterday, Sept. 24.

Currently, there are 35 quarry companies in Cebu Province, four of them are permittees of limestone and diorites, Lozano said. He said these companies are operating in the City of Naga and in the towns of Consolacion, Carmen, Medellin, Argao, Alcantara and Balamban.

Starting Friday last week, Lozano said he already called up companies to halt quarry operations the moment Davide released the order. He said the suspension will last until his office can submit assessment and recommendations to the governor.

A multi-sectoral team, according to Lozano, will conduct the assessment on each company along with technical experts who will check its operational procedures.

The evaluation team will include a geologist, a mining expert, a representative from the non-government organization, academe and a representative from the Cebu Provincial Government.

He said that he will also suggest to Davide that permits will not be granted, unless these companies undergo disaster prevention training, which is among the factors to be considered before the issuance of permits.

“Penro, along with experts, will check the level of safety of the operations of these companies,” said Lozano.

Quarrying is the process of extracting, removing and disposing quarry resources found on or underneath the surface of private or public land. They are among the mechanisms for the production of construction materials like limestone for making cement, crushed rock for aggregates used in concrete and asphalt.

It can also be used for drainage materials, dimensioned stone for cladding on buildings, footpaths, sidewalks, headstones and plinths for statues. It also included clay for brickmaking and gravels for concrete or decorative purposes. (CEBU PROVINCIAL GOV’T PR)