In an offort to prolect the people living along the Tagoloan River, PHIVIDEC Admirnistrator Pompee La Viña ordered the shutdown of all illegal quarry operations within the Industrial Estate today, February 22, 2021.
Five quarries will be barred from continuing their operations within PHIVIDEC promises. Three of the quarry operators will be served a cease and desist order by Acting Security Chief Officer Col. Pedrito Daquipil (Ret.) upon La Viña’s instruction. La Viña also ordered to restrict the access of all five quarry operators to PHIVIDEC roads going to the quarry
sites.
The plan to close the quarry operations is based on the conduct of a thorough intelligence work that La Viña ordered just weeks after he was
appointed PHIVIDEC Administrator by President Rodigo Duterte.
La Viña said that he is afraid of the possible consequence to the people when a landslide occurs during heavy rains due to increased erosion on the river bank caused by the quarry operations.
The problem dates back to the 1990’s but was not resolved. This is why Administrator La Viña is taking direct action.
According to La Viña, PHIVIDEC could be blamed in the future if this problem is not directly addressed now.
La Viña wants to ensure that the lives of the people living along the coast, especially the poor, are not jeopardized and to avert a Sendong-like tragedy in Tagoloan.
When Typhoon Sendong hit Cagayan de Oro in 2011, the disaster claimed about 2,000 lives and caused billions-worth of economic damages.
Based on a 2019 survey, it was found out that PHIVIDEC has already lost 70 hectares of its 3,000-hectare from years of quarry operations in its area.
The sand along the banks of the river within the PHIVIDEC estate has been hugely depleted due to bank eroslon.
La Viña is deeply concerned that th e plants inside PHIVIDEC will be in danger if the quarry operations continue.
La Viña also raise an alarm on the destruction and the damages to the environment because of over-quarrying.
With this, La Viña urged local government units including the relevant the Provincial Government to cooperate in his desire to
agencies and protect the people against any kind of disaster such as flooding and cooperate in his desire to landslides, of disaster such as flooding and Under Presidential Decree No. 538, PHIVIDEC has the right to close the quarry, especially when the operation takes place right inside its property.
According to its Legal Department, PHIVIDEC Industrial Authority has the power to shut down the illegal quarry operations within the 3,000-hectare estate on the following grounds:
First, not a single operator has been issued a permit to operate by PHIVIDEC.
Second, the LGUs failed to obtain a Certificate of No Objection from PHIVIDEC before issuing permits.
Third, even if the permit issued is valid, the operator still violates the agreement stipulated such as quarrying beyond the 1-meter limit issued by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
La Viña added that in any city, over-quarrying results to flooding.
Floods also exacerbated by uncollected garbage and clogged drainages. Floods also disrupt traffic flow and interrupt personal travel and business operations.
