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BY MERIANNE GRACE EREÑETA
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ILOILO – The Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO) does not have enough manpower to stop illegal quarry operations.
According to Atty. Arthuro Cangrejo, his office relies heavily on local government units in the monitoring and regulation of sand and gravel extractions.
“Our office has received a lot of complaints against illegal quarry operations but we cannot act on them all. We do not have enough personnel,” Cangrejo explained.
Information or complaints about illegal sand and gravel extractions are forwarded to local government units concerned for appropriate action.
Even the concerned barangay councils are alerted, said Cangrejo.
Local government units and barangay councils are PENRO’s “frontlines” in regulating quarry operations, he said.
“Sa mga areas nga may illegal quarrying, nagapadala kita sang Notice of Violation,” said Cangrejo.
In 2015, there were 95 quarry permitees in the province; this year there’s 51, he revealed.
Illegal quarrying of sand and gravel is reportedly rampant in the towns of Calinog, Janiuay, Cabatuan, and Alimodian.
The Mines and Geosciences Bureau Region 6 warned there may not be enough sand and gravel in this province to meet the demands of the local construction industry in three years’ time.
Regional Director Leo Van Juguan urged quarry permitees to be “responsible” in their sand and gravel extractions.
Specifically, quarry permitees must not exceed the limit set by the Environmental Management Bureau, said Juguan during the recent Iloilo Provincial Quarry Summit at Casa Real de Iloilo (old provincial capitol)./PN
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