Quarry operations in Talisay suspended following fatal accident involving hauler truck

CEBU, Philippines —  The Cebu Provincial Government has suspended all the quarry operations in Talisay City upon the request of the city government following an accident involving a hauler truck that killed five people in Barangay Lawaan 3 last week.

"...all operations in your quarry sites, including hauling operations shall be suspended until a traffic plan concerning the number of trucks going to and from your sites has been approved by the City of Talisay," read a portion of the memorandum issued by Governor Gwendolyn Garcia on December 6, 2021.

The provincial government through the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO) regulates all quarry operations in the province. PENRO may suspend or cancel the permits granted to permittees anytime.

Talisay City Mayor Gerald Anthony “Samsam” Gullas requested the suspension of quarry operations in his city because the "growing concerns" about road safety due to the presence of big hauling trucks operating in the city.

In his post on Facebook, Gullas took a swipe at his critics for using the accident that claimed five people as “political leverage.”  He also defended the city’s traffic body from criticisms for allegedly doing nothing to prevent such accident.

"Just to be clear, CT-TODA is only authorized to implement laws and ordinances that our previous City Councils have enacted," Gullas said in his post on Facebook.

He said they were not remiss of their duties and responsibilities. In fact, the city through CT-TODA has been apprehending violators of the ordinance on truck ban from 6 to 8 a.m. and from 4 to 8 p.m.

Gullas said he will create a committee that will be composed of the city administrator, city legal officer, Business Process and Licensing Office (BPLO) head, CT-TODA chief, LDRRMO chief and the three city councilors who chair the committees on traffic, laws; and environment and natural resources.

During the period of the suspension of the quarry operations, the committee will be consulting stakeholders. Among the issues to be considered is the possible amendment to the city’s traffic code, particularly the provision on the transport of minerals.

Gullas enumerated factors that need to be discussed like the time of operations and transport of minerals; truck ban time; system to be in place for the movement of minerals from the quarry and around the city; legality of mandatory or regular drug test of drivers of hauling operators, among others. — FPL (FREEMAN)