TABUK CITY, Kalinga – As a result of inspection of the quarrying activities in the Chico River on September 25, the Committee on Environmental Protection, Natural Resources and Energy is poised to recommend to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) en banc the lifting of Resolution No. 2017-051 stopping the hauling of boulders from the Chico River to places outside the province.
The committee is conditioning the lifting of the resolution on the staking of the 300 meter-wide megachannel so that all quarry extraction activities would be confined there.
The barangay officials present were in full agreement with the committee that the installation of the markers delineating the path of the megachannel be prioritized so that it will be easier for them to prevent unscrupulous quarrying in their respective jurisdictions.
The committee learned from Engr. Baudy Ballayog who represented the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) during the inspection that the agency has already started the staking but stopped at barangay Appas.
The committee had prevailed upon the quarry operators for the latter to shoulder the expense for the installation of the markers in their respective areas.
Board Member Frederick Pangsiw, committee chairman, informed the media that based on their observation during the inspection which was made with barangay officials, farmers and quarry operators, the claim of farmers that the riverbed needs desilting and dredging very badly is valid.
Pangsiw said that pending the lifting of the resolution, the quarrying could continue provided it is done responsibly and the boulders not transported outside the province in the meantime.
Committee member Emilio Kitongan said that as far as he is concerned, the resolution could be lifted provided that the quarrying will be done responsibly and the extractors pay the proper taxes and fees.
Marvin Denna of the Kalinga Environment and Natural Resources Office informed the Zigzag Weekly that some of the quarry sites inspected lie outside the designated quarry area and that some barangay residents engage in indiscriminate quarrying.
The SP passed Resolution No. 2017-051 last March in response to complaints about irresponsible quarrying activities in the Chico River.**By Estanislao Albano, Jr.
