CEBU, Philippines — The Department of Environment and Natural Resources yesterday washed hands of the dolomite extraction controversy, attributing it instead to “a problem with the Cebu system” since such extraction activities have been allegedly going on for 40 years now.
DENR undersecretary and spokesman Benny Antiporda earlier commented that it is no longer their problem if the Cebu Provincial Board or anyone was not informed about the matter.
“Kung hindi niya alam, wag nilang isisi sa national government, sa amin itong contract na to. It’s part of the contract with DPWH,” Antiporda said over PTV.
Yesterday, Antiporda told The FREEMAN that DENR, having sourced the minerals from a contractor, is not involved in the process of extracting the dolomites in Cebu, which are to be used to “nourish” the Manila Bay.
“Just to clarify it, DENR is not in any way connected in this transaction of dolomite which is meant for Manila Bay because it is the contractor that we are talking to, and not us. For us, we are just mere customers here in Manila. We don’t know what is happening in Cebu,” said Antiporda.
Antiporda, though, welcomes Governor Gwendolyn Garcia’s order stopping the extraction and transport of dolomite from Alcoy, south Cebu as this will give the provincial government a chance to check on their business system.
“We, as fellow public servants, welcome this order of the governor so it can give them a chance to look into the internal business system of the province,” said Antiporda.
He said he feels there is a problem with Cebu province’s business system.
“Kasi they seem to have a problem with their system. It’s been there for 40 years, and yet ngayon lang nila sasabihin na may problema silang ganyan. It’s the system,” he said.
Antiporda said some of the crushed dolomites needed for the beach nourishment project in Manila Bay are already in Manila.
“Alam ko okay na yun (I knew that it has been shipped),” Antiporda said. He has not responded to The FREEMAN’s query as to how many tons of dolomite have been transported.
Garcia’s order
The Manila Bay rehab project has been tentatively set to start on September 19 in time for the International Coastal Clean-up Day.
Garcia’s order ordered Dolomite Mining Corporation (DMC) and Philippine Mining Service Corporation (PMSC) to stop “from further extracting, processing, selling, and transporting of dolomite, associated mineral deposits, and other quarry resources.”
DMC, through a Mineral Production Sharing Agreement with the national government, extracted the dolomite in Alcoy while PMSC took care of transporting the dolomite to Manila accordingly.
But Garcia said that the provincial government and Alcoy town were not informed of the Manila Bay project nor was there a public consultation held before the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB)-7 issued two Ore Transport Permits (OTPs) to PMSC to allow the company to transport seven Wet Metric Tons of dolomite to Manila from Cebu.
Inspection
Today, the Cebu Provincial Environment and Natural Resources (PENRO) is expected to conduct aerial survey and inspection on the mining area in Alcoy town, about 102 kilometers south of Cebu City.
PENRO chief Rodel Bontuyan said a team composed of civil engineer, geodetic engineer, mining engineer and two other personnel from their office will go to the mining site to check if the mining firms are compliant with the terms and conditions in their mineral production agreement with the government.
“Maong magdala ta geodetic engineer para makita nato unsay coverage sa ilang i-extract nga area,” Bontuyan said.
PENRO served a cease and desist order against the mining firms last September 8.
Garcia has already warned MGB not to issue further OTP to the firms, which the bureau has heeded.
Bontuyan said it was learned that there are still three pending OTPs applied for by PMSC before the MGB.
“(Some) 3, 500 metric tons kada usa ka OTP (ore transport permit) so more or less seven thousand metric tons na na ilang na transport didto. Kung nalahos ang lima so more or less na sa 17, 000 metric tons pero duha ra man na lahos so naa pa sa 10,000 metric tons ang wala madayon,” Bontuyan said.
MGB issues OTPs to large mining firms for transportation of mineral products but Bontuyan said the provincial government is also concerned on the minerals extracted and transported from Cebu.
“Dili man ni permit issuance, it’s about asserting the right of the province invoking the general welfare clause. So mao na ang gibasehan para motan-aw ta kay within the Cebu province man gihapon ni siya nga area,” he said.
Cimatu’s justification
During an inquiry at the House of Representatives, DENR Secretary Roy Cimatu explained that the dolomites are not only for aesthetics but as nourishment for the Manila Bay waters and to avoid drowning incidents there.
“Yung nakikita po ninyo na tinatambak na dolomites dyan ay kasama sa proseso. Kailangang lagyan ng beach dyan dahil walang beach dyan. Pagdaong mo dyan noon, tubig na kaya ang daming nadidisgrasya, tulad ng sinabi ko, nalunod,” said Cimatu.
Before the dolomites, lahar was being considered but it was found to be too fine and would not be good for overlay of the 500-meter area being rehabilitated.
“May nagsabi merong nagsabi ang dolomite, ito ay ginagamit nila sa mga resort sa Mactan, mga malalaking resorts dyan. Ginagamit nila dyan ang dolomites. Meron na kaming experience na nagamit na yan,” Cimatu said.
Cimatu said also said they needed mineral contents to clean the waters of Manila Bay so people will be allowed to swim in the area again.
“Kailangan din natin ng mga magamit na medyo mineral na linisin ang tubig dahil nourishment ang kailangan nito eh, naghanap kami at pwede dito gamitin ang dolomites. Tingnan po ninyo sa mga aquarium, sa mga bumibili ng isda dyan, bato-bato na yan, is dolomite,” he said.
“Lilinisan niya ang tubig nito from acidic magiging alkaline po ito, so kinonsider namin lahat yan, so dolomite,” he added.
Dolomite is 75 percent calcium and more than 20 percent magnesium and the size that DENR has chosen for the project is thrice the granule of an ordinary sand and no dust particles that may be harmful to one’s health, said Cimatu. — Le Phyllis F. Antojado ,JMD