TRAILS UP NORTH

Glo Abaeo Tuazon
Stopping Sumigar quarry lords

BANAUE, Ifugao -- Following last week’s temporary stoppage of quarrying operations at Sumigar-Mt. Polis area, Gov. Teodoro Baguilat Jr. finally issued a cease-and-desist order Feb. 10 to about five operators. It has been a long time issue that the quarrying in said area is one heated debate with the threatened stability of soil, causing erosion to the route and for the more important reason of the pollution and lessening supply of water emanating from the said watershed area.

Fr. Valentine Dimoc, executive director of the Social Action and Development Commission of Ifugao had been following up progress of events since he started eight years ago. SADC is a development arm of the Catholic Vicariate of Bontoc-Lagawe (BONLAG) which is tasked to oversee development projects in Ifugao and the Mountain Province.

Dimoc said the expanding conversions of the watershed area into commercial ones are issues that has taken a very long route and time. It was well remembered that he also sued the former Gov. Cappleman for the still the same reason a few years back. With threats on his life from quarrying entities while lobbying the cause, he said he persisted and will persist as long as the problem is there.

Baguilat on his part said he cannot issue a formal CDO earlier for the reason that he does not have the names of the people to which the CDO’s should be sent out to, thus a memo was sent in its place last Jan. 28. “Now that I was supplied the names, then I can do the formal orders.”

He said he did not know the people involved until he was given the list Tuesday and seeing that some were even his friends. Being an environmentalist and the governor of Ifugao though, he has to do his duties. In a very humble way Baguilat said “I could have done it earlier if not for the lack of info, of technical advice and of moral support. I wish we (in Ifugao) were more open so that we can help and tell our leaders what must be done in an informative way. It’s best for us to work together instead of the distrust.”

The CDOs were signed and delivered, hopefully the quarrying operations has stopped. A meeting to deliberate on the matters is set on Feb. 19 to include all entities involved. -- Email: twilight_glo@yahoo.com