Labella wants quarry in Mananga probed

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella has requested Bonbon Barangay Captain Eduardo Cabriana to investigate the people involved in the rampant illegal quarry operations in Mananga River, which has threatened the structural integrity of the newly operational bridge in the barangay.

Labella said the illegal extraction of sand and gravel in the river threatens the structural integrity of the bridge, which has cost the city P13 million to construct.

“But this is not the only reason why we need to look into alleged illegal sand and gravel extraction going on in Bonbon, which forms part of the Mananga River. The detriment that the excavation causes goes down deeper than we think,” Labella said.

He said the bridge gives the residents there easy and safe access since it connects the mountain barangays.

Last Tuesday, the Police Coordinating and Advisory Council decided to hold its meeting in Bonbon after it received reports that illegal quarrying is prevalent in the area, particularly along the river.

Labella, the PCAC chair, wants the matter probed thoroughly.

“Our constituents should be made to understand that quarrying widens the river and eventually dries it out. By then, residents will have problems with water, and those whose livelihood depend on livestock, grazing animals and farming will have no water source to depend on,” he said.

He said that barangay officials in the area should apprise the residents and make them realize that any income derived from illegal operations is just “short-lived and illegal.”

He said that residents should know that they could end up in jail for violating City Ordinance No. 2115 or the Cebu City Mining Ordinance.

The ordinance stipulates that anyone who wishes to undertake sand and gravel extractions is required to secure a permit from the Cebu City Mining Regulatory Board.

Labella said small scale mining also violates the law. The ordinance states that the extraction of sand and gravel from beaches and river banks, including extraction and destruction of stalactites and stalagmites from caves, is strictly prohibited.

“We all must learn from deserted communicates near dead rivers; the long-term effects of quarrying create not just inconvenience, but a great loss to the community that knows the river as a source of food, water, and other basic necessities for farming, growing trees and flowers, bathing, or domesticating animals,” he said.  (FREEMAN)