Illegal small-scale mining stopped along major road

By Dexter A. See

ITOGON, Benguet – The provincial government has ordered stoppage of illegal small-scale mining operations along the 21-km Philex-Kias provincial road here, particularly at Sitio Ud-Udan, Ampucao, Itogon town because of serious threat it poses to residents and motorists due to cracks on the road and the continuous sinking of parapet wall in the area.

The issuance of the cease and desist order to all small-scale mining activities in the area was an offshoot of the recommendation of the provincial mining regulatory board for the immediate stoppage of small-scale mining activities in the area to prevent a catastrophic incident that may happen in the future which might result to loss of lives and properties.

In Resolution No. 9, series of 2009, the PMRB asserted the need to stop the illegal small-scale mining activities along the road since the said activities are without the necessary permits from the concerned government agencies.

It was found out the illegal small-scale mining activities are within the mining claim of Sierra Oro Mining Exploration Company and within the 50-meter radius distance from the road.

Considering that small-scale mining activities don not have the consent from the mining claim owner, the PMRB recommended all on-going activities in the area shall no longer exist and that failure to do so will force the provincial government to file the appropriate charges against the numerous individual maintaining the said operations.

Earlier, the management of the Philex Mining Corporation, which is in charge of maintaining the said provincial road, raised a serious concern regarding the on-going maintenance of the Philex-Kias provincial road whereby its portion at sitio Ud-udan, Ampucao, Itogon, Benguet is reportedly sinking because of alleged on-going illegal small-scale mining activities near the area.

Engineer. Eulalio Austin, Philex vice-president for operation and resident manager, said the multi-agency inspection team that visited the damaged portion of the road recommended that the said portion be widened as immediate remedial measure and to divert rain water from flowing through the huge cracks, particularly at the parapet wall.

However, he pointed out the mine firm could not push through with the implementation of such remedial measures cannot push through if the small-scale mining activities in the place are still underway, thus, the provincial government must be the one to handle and ensure that the necessary road-right-of-way clearance be established.

Austin warned the continuous operation of the illegal small-scale mining in the critical portion of the road will surely result to inconveniences among the residents and the motorists passing through the road since there will come a time that the damaged and sinking portion of the road will eventually result in a road cut.

The 21-kilometer Philex-Kias provincial road was rehabilitated and improved by the mining company in the early 1990s to ensure smooth travel from the mine site to its environs.