EDITORIAL - When nature strikes

What happened in the two barangays in Naga City should serve as a wakeup call for other areas in Cebu that they must be aware of a similar disaster threat considering the presence of quarry operations across the province.

Quarry operations – both legal and illegal – have existed in the province for years. They undeniably give employment to thousands. However, in the wake of Naga City’s massive landslide, it’s high time for the government to strictly monitor such activities.

Of course, those illegal quarry operations must stop. They should have no reason to exist in the first place since they do not have a permit from the government. Since they operate illegally, incidents could happen anytime.

But this is not to say those legal quarry operations are already safe from any untoward incidents. Disaster is always bound to occur even in the most secure quarry site once a lapse occurs.

The quarry site in Naga City operates legally on the strength of the Environmental Compliance Certificate and other permits issued by the government. But when cracks were discovered appearing in its surrounding that led to Thursday’s massive landslide, the city government and concerned government agencies should have immediately put emergency measures in place.

Following the incident, we all hope the government will begin to take serious monitoring of all quarry operations in the province. Authorities should need to start taking action against operators that lack precautionary measures.

The Naga City incident could have been prevented had government agencies and the local government unit been religious in monitoring the city’s quarry operations. Their role should not have ended the moment they released permits following requirement compliance by the quarry operator.

We cannot really blame the public for pointing fingers at the quarry operations in Naga City as the main contributing factor to the disaster. What happened was a clear negligence that led nature to strike.