Ruiz wants LGUs to have power over large scale mine applications

CEBU, Philippines - Lapu-Lapu City congressional aspirant and former interior undersecretary Lito Ruiz will seek to amendment the Philippine Mining Act of 1995 by giving local government units the power to approve large scale mining applications and all the necessary permits.

Ruiz told The FREEMAN it is just practical for local chief executives to take charge of the implementation of the mining policies for large scale mining because they are the ones who are aware of the potentials of their respective localities and what is good for their areas.

“Ipa-amend ko nang balaod sa DENR nga ang local government is only limited to small time quarrying…kutob ra sa extraction of sand and gravel. Nagsamok-samok ra man gud na ang DENR sa LGUs. Ikaw gud ang mayor, imo gud na’ng lugar, ikaw ang nakahibawo so ikaw magbuot,” he said.

Taking charge of the approval of the application for large scale mining will also allow or additional revenue generation for each LGU because taxes and application fees as well as fines and penalties will go directly to the LGU, he said.

Aside from amending the law on mining, Ruiz said he would also work to amend the military’s promotion retirement scheme. He said he would want promotion in the military to be based in all aspects.

“Ang ila man gud karon, kung bata ka ni-graduate sa academy, mas dako ka’g chance nga ma-head ana nga organization. Og tiguwang naka ni-graduate, wala naka’y chance ma-chief of staff, so kung performer ka na tawo, ma-demoralize ka. Ang nakabati pud ana is wala na’y competition,” Ruiz said.

Ruiz also vowed to continue the programs and projects that his wife, Nerissa Soon-Ruiz started when the latter was still serving as the congresswoman of the sixth district.

“Among those that my wife has started were the hospital assistance, burial assistance, and the scholarship. Daghan kaayo ta’g scholars, nya kung maputol ang assistance ni Inday Neri, luoy kaayo sila…asa man sila padulong?” Ruiz said.

He vowed to allocate the large portion of his Priority Development Assistance Fund to programs and projects for education. —THE FREEMAN