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INSPECT. Officials from the City Local Environment and Natural Resources Office, and local environmental advocates inspect a quarry site in Sitio Suntingon, Barangay Bugo.
Barangay Bugo Council FB page
City hall orders the quarry operator to rehabilitate the affected area in eastern Cagayan de Oro
CAGAYAN DE ORO, Philippines – Residents of a subdivision in an eastern village in Cagayan de Oro welcomed a local government order halting quarry operations in their barangay, calling it a victory in their ongoing campaign against quarries in the area.
They claim the operations in Sitio Suntingon, Barangay Bugo, were to blame for the severe flooding they have endured in recent years.
“The recent stoppage of one of the major quarries… marks a significant victory for the community, demonstrating the power of determination and the unwavering pursuit of truth,” said Ruperto Gonzalo Buscato, speaking on behalf of a group of residents of Phase 1 Villa Trinitas Subdivision in Bugo.
The City Local Environment and Natural Resources Office has issued a stoppage order in late February against a mountain quarry operation spanning 44,111 square meters. The site was managed by Genard Abejo, who was found to have allegedly violated the terms of his permit. The order took effect immediately.
Under Section 45 of the Philippine Mining Act of 1995, a quarry permit may be revoked for violations of the law or permit conditions following an investigation.
Authorities cited several violations, including improper execution of the quarry’s benching scheme, which created a steep high wall that did not comply with approved mining procedures. Inspectors also found a hole within the site, posing a risk of collapse.
Abejo’s group was also found to have operated outside the approved quarry area.
Aside from the shutdown, the quarry operator was ordered to rehabilitate the affected area.
The alleged violations were uncovered during a February inspection by CLENRO and the Mines and Geosciences Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Northern Mindanao. The inspection came a month after a city council environment committee hearing on quarry-related concerns.
Buscato, who represented concerned residents at the hearing, said he received an “unsatisfactory response” from local officials, prompting him to file complaints and queries with various government agencies. He alleged irregularities in the issuance of quarry permits.
CLENRO department manager Armen Cuenca said the inspection was part of routine monitoring and not a response to any complaint.
Buscato acknowledged Cuenca’s statement but said residents believed their appeal had influenced the discovery of violations. He also questioned the consistency of authorities’ monitoring, asking why the violations had not been detected earlier.
Barangay Bugo officials approved a resolution in 2019 in favor of Abejo, with the permit set to expire in 2026.
“The fight is far from over,” Buscato said, adding that residents continue to push for the revocation of quarry permits and for the swift passage of a proposed ban on mountain and river quarries in their village.
“We are not sitting down waiting for things to happen. We are continuously working to see that our goal will be manifested in reality,” he added. – Rappler.com
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