Quarrying in Angat River continues

ANGAT, Bulacan , Philippines  – Gravel and sand quarrying in the Angat River in this town remains unabated despite recent orders from the provincial government.

Henry Sincioco, a resident of Barangay Marungko here and one of the hundreds of residents opposing the more than 40-year-old quarry operations told The STAR that operators have slowed down but have not removed equipment like cranes from the quarry site.

“Dumalang lang yung biyahe, pero yung mga crane na ipinatatanggal ng kapitolyo ay nasa site pa rin at ginagamit sa stockpiling,” Sincioco said.

He said that a week ago, Governor Joselito Mendoza issued an order for the stoppage of gravel and sand quarry operations along the Angat River within the vicinity of Barangay Marungko here. 

Mendoza’s order was preceded by a letter signed by Engineer Ricardo Medina of the Environment and Natural Resources Office (ENRO) of the provincial government asking Mayor Leonardo De Leon’s assistance to curb quarry operations.

However, Sincioco said that Medina’s request was largely ignored as quarry operators continued and cited that the letter was not signed by the governor. 

“Wala daw pirma ni governor yung sulat ni Medina kaya binalewala lang,” he said. 

Last year, hundreds of residents of this town flocked to streets protesting rampant quarry operations that started as early as the 1960s.

Residents told The STAR that said quarry operators had not only put their houses in danger of sliding into the river, but damaged their farmlands thereby, reducing agricultural productivity. 

Armando Bernardo, a former quarry operator who joined the opposition said that farmlands usually planted with corn, rice and different vegetables were forever damaged. 

“Humina na ang ani ng magsasaka lalo na yung malapit sa quarry site dahil kapag summer madaling matuyo yung taniman nila dahil malalim dating bukid na kinu-quarry at doon umuuho yung tubig,” Bernardo said. 

The same was echoed by other residents who complained that quarry operations have already reduced local residents’ opportunity for livelihood. 

“Marami ang nawalan ng trabaho dahil sa lumiit na yung mga bukirin dahil sa quarry. Dati kumikita yung mga taga rito kahit tagapagtanim at tagapamitas lang ng bunga,” said Ernesto Santos, another former quarry operator who joined the call to stop the operations. 

For his part, Marvin Santiago, a quarry operator said their operation is legal and he had environmental compliance certificate. 

But environment officials and local residents said the ENRO has stopped issuance of small scale mining permits as early as December.

They also said that even the Mines and Geosciences Bureau in Central Luzon advised the provincial government to stop issuance of SSMP.