Talisay City urged: Curb illegal quarry operations

From what used to be a clandestine activity, the illegal quarrying of sand under the Mananga Bridge is now becoming rampant.

This prompted the regional office of the Mines and Geo-sciences Bureau to send a letter to the Talisay City government urging the latter to go after the illegal activity.

Roger de Dios, MGB regional officer-in-charge, told The Freeman that quarrying within at least a kilometer upstream and downstream from a public structure is prohibited.

De Dios said under the Mananga Bridge, "the passerby can see and witness the illegal activity happening in broad daylight." As a result, the river dikes are now hanging and dilapidated.

De Dios said the tragedy in the 1980s in which the Managa Bridge collapsed and claimed several lives might happen again if the illegal activity will not be stopped.

De Dios said the tragedy increased to a kilometer the distance requirement from 300 meters upstream and downstream from the structure.

Under the Philippine Mining Act and the Local Government Code, small-scale quarry operations are within the jurisdiction of the LGUs.

He said the responsibilities over small-scale quarrying operations had long been devolved to the local government unit, thus it should be the Talisay City government that should enforce the law.

The MGB-7 also sent another letter to the Cebu 2nd Engineering District being a co-enforcer of the law.

De Dios said even the legal quarrying operations still need a permit from the LGU and the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office.

He said during the time of the late Talisay town councilor Manuel Hernani, the problem was 95 percent eradicated. De Dios added that Hernani was even awarded by their office because of his vigilance to implement the law.

For now, de Dios said he is withholding the renewal of 20 of their deputized agents, as they still have to submit a report on their accomplishments.

De Dios said he is also looking into unverified reports on abuses of authority committed by the deputized agents. - Ferliza C. Contratista