Zambales folk complain about mountain blasting

NAGYANTOK ISLAND, Subic, Zambales — Some 200 families here feel trapped by recurrent thick dusty clouds reportedly triggered by mounting blasting operations on the island, which have given rise to a growing number of asthma cases among children.

Vice Gov. Ramon Lacbain Jr. said some children afflicted with asthma had to be hospitalized.

He said portions of a mountain near the island’s populated area are being blasted regularly for stones and other materials supposedly for a reclamation project for a shipyard being developed within the Subic Bay Freeport.

"I was overwhelmed by the complaints about the consequences of the blasting and quarrying," Lacbain said after he visited the island recently to conduct a medical-dental-legal mission sponsored by the Rotary Club of Downtown Olongapo, the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, the Zambales War Against Poverty Foundation, and his office.

Lacbain quoted the residents as appealing for a halt to the blasting as well as for medical support for their sick children.

According to the residents, he said the project contractor initially assured them that it would attend to the problems that would confront them due to the blasting operations, which started a few weeks ago.

"Whenever there is blasting in the mountain, thick dust clouds the entire island so we do not know where to bring our children for protection," Lacbain quoted a resident as saying.

"I will personally verify whether this quarry operations have a permit from the either the provincial environment and natural resources office and the ecology center of SBMA (Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority)," he said.

Lacbain said his office has put up a small community pharmacy called Botika Natin sa Nayon on the island to give the local folk access to low-priced generic medicines.

"But because of what’s happening there, I have ordered the purchase of nebulizers for the use of children and adults afflicted with asthma," he said.

Aside from asthma, Lacbain said many children are also suffering from malnutrition and gastro-intestinal diseases.