Quarry puts bridge in peril

CEBU, Philippines - Rampant illegal quarry operations in the Mananga River have threatened the structu-ral integrity of the newly-opened bridge in Barangay Bonbon.

 The P13 million bridge, which became passable this week, is the answer to the years of clamor of the residents for the government to construct a bridge to make it safe for their children to come to school.

Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella was alarmed on the prevalence of illegal quarry in the barangay, particularly along the river which is an integral part of the Central Cebu River System together with the Combado-Lusaran River Basin, Kotkot River Basin, and Coastal River basin.

“There is discriminate rampant extraction of sand. This (sand) is very important in this area, di gyud unta kuhaan og sand kay maapektuhan ang structural integrity of the bridge,” Labella lamented.

The vice mayor witnessed the illegal sand extractions during his inspection yesterday.

Former Bonbon Barangay Captain Alex Ibarita said some residents and barangay official have been illegally extracting sand and gravel on the river bed without securing permit from the City Mining Regulatory Board.

 Bonbon barangay councilmen Merenisa Mabano and Boy Ababon alleged that a barangay official, name withheld by The Freeman pending his comment, is making the sand and gravel excavation as a business.

 Romeo Oyao, a small-scale miner, denied that their operation is illegal.

“Wala may illegal quarry nga nahitabo. Ang among panginabuhi mao ning paghakot-hakot og balas aron mabuhi among pamilya. Mao ra ni among nahibal-an ra natrabaho aron makakaon mi. Wa mi nuon permit pagpangabkab og balas apan ang kuhaon namo mao man kadtong balas naanod gikan babaw,” he said while doing sand extraction yesterday.

 Mabano reported that each sack of sand and gravel cost P25 while P4,000 to P5,000 per truck.

 She added that illegal sand and gravel extraction is also rampant in Sitios Camarin, Proper Bonbon, Biasong, and Luksuon in the said barangay.

Labella said small scale mining is violation under City Ordinance No. 2115 or the Cebu City Mining Ordinance.

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

But the guidelines provided in the ordinance clearly stated 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.

Labella said he will be sending communication to the barangay captain “to put a stop to this illegal extraction sand and gravel.”

 Otherwise, he said, the city would place law enforcement agencies to stop the illegal quarry.

“This has to be stopped. We have to protect our bridges because it costs us so much and besides this is the link between mountain barangays,” he said.

 With the new small-scale mining law, miners are required to come up with the Potential Environment Impact Report, which is a simplified environmental protection and enhancement program, before they can start operation.

They are also required to do a Community Development and Management Program, a simplified Social Development and Management Program duly approved by the MGB.

Like the large-scale miners, small-scale miners will also be required to submit an Environmental Compliance Certificate prior their operations. Also, the use of heavy or sophisticated equipments such as excavators, loaders, backhoes, dozers, among others, is to be prohibited to minimize disturbance in the area. — (FREEMAN)