MARAWI CITY (MindaNews / 01 August) – Governor Mamintal Adiong Jr. of Lanao del Sur signed Thursday Executive Order No. 008 ordering all illegal large-scale and small-scale miners, as well as quarry operators in the province to stop their activities and secure permits from his office through the Provincial Mining Regulatory Board (PMRB).
The order came three weeks after the board adopted its manual of operations on July 10.
“It’s a serious and growing concern in our province – the unregulated and illegal mining and quarrying that have silently, but steadily taken a toll on our environment, our natural resources and the safety of our communities,” Adiong said in a press briefing at the provincial capitol.
He said existing quarry operations in the province don’t have permits.
“In addition, the surge of interest in resource extraction is evident with applicants from across the province expressing their intent to pursue quarrying and mining operations,” he said.
He noted that 15 out of 43 applications came from Masiu town.
In a text message Friday morning, Pili Papandayan, Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer said the quarry areas are in the towns of Kapatagan, Balabagan, Malabang, Picong, Marogong, Butig, Masiu, Bubong, Kapai, Tagoloan, Mulondo, Wao, Tugaya, Bacolod-Kalawi, Madalum and Madamba.
Papandayan said there are no more quarry activities in Marawi City.
But he said they have yet to determine the volume of quarry as the PRMB is a newly created office.
“The month of August is a grace period to give them an ample time to prepare their required documents, and those without permit from the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources of BARMM are not allowed to operate,” he said.
Adiong said the provincial government is not against development but only wanted to follow legal processes and assign clear responsibilities for the protection of the environment.
“I want to emphasize that today’s announcement is not made in isolation. It is grounded in a clear legal and institutional framework,” he said.
The governor said trees cut during mining and quarry operations should be replaced through tree growing to protect the environment and to prevent flooding and landslide.
The towns of Kapai and Tagoloan are subject for coal exploration in cooperation with the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
Chapter II, Article 1, Section 138 (Tax on Sand and Gravel and other Quarry Resources) of Book II of the Local Government Code provides that the province may levy and collect not more than 10 percent of fair market value in the locality per cubic meter of ordinary stones, sand, gravel and other quarry resources. (Richel V. Umel/MindaNews)
