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Monday, September 15, 2014

UPDATE ON ILLEGAL QUARRYING..

An excerpt from DATED  July 21, 2014

MEMORANDUM

FOR THE REGIONAL DIRECTOR
Mines and Geosciences Bureau, DENR
Regional Office No. VI, Iloilo City

FROM THE MINE MANAGEMENT DIVISION

SUBJECT INVESTIGATION REPORT ON THE ALLEGED BEACH SAND EXTRACTION BY MAYOR EDGAR PERALTA OF NEW WASHINGTON, AKLAN

“…..in the report of EEDO--MGDS to Governor Miraflores, it was their opinion that there was a violation of Section 1 of the Batas Pambansa BIg. 265, "An Act Prohibiting the Extraction of Gravel and Sand From Beaches and Providing Penalties Thereof".

Considering the above premises, it is the opinion of the undersigned that even if there was no commercial disposition, there is still a violation of Section 1 of the Batas Pambansa Big. 265, which states to quote:

"Section 1 - Any provision of law, presidential decree, rule or regulation to the contra try notwithstanding, the extraction of gravel and sand such other activities as would erode or diminish the natural beauty of beaches are prohibited. x-x-x-x"

Further, since Engr. Salvador has already filed an Administrative and Criminal Case against Mayor Peralta with the Sanggguniang Panlalawigan, Province of Aklan and Office of the Ombudsman for Visayas, Cebu City respectively. It is the opinion of the undersigned that the subject matter be referred to the Legal Division, DENR 6, Iloilo City for appropriate legal advice of the resolution of the complaint.

For the information and perusal of the Regional Director.”


(Sgd) ERROL C FUENTES
Engineer III (EM)


(Sgd) LUCIOS P SUCGANG
Engineer IV (GE)


Noted:

(Sgd) FLORIAN D. JIMENEZ

OIC Mine Management Division


UPDATE: 28 AUG 2014 - letter from the Office of the Ombudsman (Visayas) said that the complaint is presently the subject of ongoing fact-finding investigation with docket file FF-V-13-0685. FYI.

KALIBO’S DUMPING SITE NOW A SERIOUS ENVIRONMENTAL THREAT


By ODON S. BANDIOLA

KALIBO, Aklan.   Unless drastic remedial measures are undertaken, the threat to the environment posed by the dumping site of the capital town of Aklan can worsen further and will endanger the health and lives of people living nearby, to include schools’ population of various learning institutions operating near its vicinity.   

        This surfaced in a committee hearing conducted by the Committee on Environmental Protection of the 16th Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Aklan last Monday, September 8, 2014.

        The SP committee was prompted to conduct an inquiry into the matter when the Sangguniang Barangay of Old Buswang furnished the body of its resolution addressed to local officials of Kalibo seeking for the immediate closure of the said dumping site.  Kalibo’s dumping site is located at the adjoining barangay of Bakhaw Sur, along the Sooc River, one of the extensions of the Aklan River.

        Not only are residents of the two barangays are affected of the persistent emission of foul odor from the dumping site but also commercial and institutional establishment operators and students near the area.

        Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer Ivene D. Reyes of Aklan stressed that LGU Kalibo maybe liable for several violations in the operation of the dumping site since 2006 when the department ordered the LGU to already start the safe closure procedures for the dumping site but until now, it has remained to be implemented.

        DENR Aklan emphasized that for the foul odor to be temporarily and immediately remedied, spraying of chemicals on the dumpsite must be done at once, but safe closure procedure must be started right away.

        Engr. Jessie Fegarido, head of Kalibo’s Municipal Economic Enterprise Development Department, said safe closure procedure will start next week with the construction of the perimeter fence of the said dumping site expected to be finished within one month.

        Portion of the concrete enclosure of the dumping site had been damaged while holes were bored at the undamaged portions facing the Sooc River.  These caused emission of the waste fluids into the river.

        Former Congressman Allen S. Quimpo feared that the naturally grown marine resources in the nearby 250-hectare mangrove eco-park are already affected by the pollution of the river.

        Adorada Reynaldo, Solid Waste Management Officer of Kalibo explained that the safe closure procedures can never be successful until wastes segregation is strictly enforced on Kalibo’s households.

        Both Fegarido and Reynaldo expressed their exasperation over their difficulty to obtain budgetary appropriations for its ₱20 million they need to fully implement the safe closure of the dumping site.

        PENRO Reyes informed the committee that DENR has already identified a 12-hectare area in Castillo, Makato, Aklan which can be developed into a sanitary landfill site for Kalibo’s garbage and that of the neighboring towns west of Kalibo like Numancia, Makato, Lezo and Tangalan.


        But Reyes said this will take about one year for the area to be ready to recieve the wastes of these towns.