PMRB orders Chico River sand, gravel extractors: Stop it

By Gina Dizon

BONTOC, Mountain Province -- The Provincial Mining Regulatory Board ordered 10 extractors of sand and gravel along the Chico River here “to immediately stop” their illegal sand and gravel operations,” following an ocular inspection by a PMRB technical working group
    Issued by the PMRB chaired by Fay Apil, PMRB Chairperson and Regional Director of the mines and geo sciences bureau of the department of environment and natural resources (MGB-DENR), the stoppage orders sprung from a petition of residents of Samoki and Eyeb barangays asking the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (ENRO) for the removal of stockpiled sand and gravel along the Chico River in their respective territories.
    Issued with stoppage orders are extractors Joaquin Calaoa, Victor Comicho, Joel Awilan Jaime Fangkingan, Randy Lusad, and Pablo Chaokas Jr of Samoki, Bontoc; Edward Latawan Jr of Sagada; and BKA Construction c/lo Brent Amrangeb of Barlig. 
    Said orders were issued by virtue of DENR Administrative Order 2010- 21 for the implementing rules and regulation of RA 7942  or the Philippine Mining Act of 1995.
    Implementing rules and regulations of the Philippine Mining Act of 1995 as contained in the DENR Administrative Order No. 2010-21 provides for ”no extraction, removal and/or disposition of materials shall be allowed within a distance of one (1) kilometer from the boundaries of reservoirs established for public water supply, archaeological and historical sites or of any public or private works or structures, unless the prior clearance of the Government agency(ies) concerned or owner is obtained. No extraction, removal and/or disposition of materials shall likewise be allowed in offshore areas within five hundred (500) meters distance from the coast and two hundred (200) meters from the mean low tide.”
    Earlier, some 50 residents here at Barangay Eyeb petitioned the Provincial ENRO to remove stockpiled sand and gravel along the Chico River by some private persons.
    ENRO Officer in charge Sabas Gayadon then asked barangay chairperson Evelyn Padong of purok Eyeb and chairman Joseph Toyokan of barangay Samoki to provide names of persons who are illegally extracting and stockpiling sand and gravel along the Chico River within their respective jurisdictions to be issued stoppage orders following a meeting by the             Provincial Natural Waterways Clearing Task Force and the Provincial Mining and Regulatory Board (PMRB).
    Illegal extraction activities near the Chico Karajan Jumbo Bridge are being done along the river near barangays Samoki and Eyeb.
    Samoki and Eyeb locates said Jumbo bridge which links the two barangays and serves as connecting link to the Bontoc- Banaue Road.
    In their petition letter forwarded to Gayadon, petitioning residents said reclamation activities “impedes the flow of water endangering the lives and properties of people beside the Chico River”.
    Stockpiled sand and gravel “cause the diversion of the river water flow to one side of the river”, petitioners stated.  
    “This causes grave concern among residents specially so when the water swells endangering the residential areas therein”, residents said.
    Reclamation and stockpiling of sand and gravel had been going here for quite some time along the Chico River.
    As noted, extraction activities herein had been reportedly attributed to the weakening of the columnar posts of the jumbo bridge and led to the construction of a new one three years ago.
    The old jumbo bridge was temporarily closed following the onslaught of typhoon Lawin in 2016. The newly constructed bridge was opened last year.
    Environmental studies note that “excessive instream sand mining is a threat to bridges, river banks and nearby structures. Sand mining also affects the adjoining groundwater system and the uses that local people make of the river.”
    Despite laws which provide for the non-extraction of sand and gravel near public structures however, illegal activities go unabated for quite some time.
    Illegal structures built within the easement of the Chico River are a twin concern of illegal sand and gravel extraction here.
    It shall be recalled that owners of structures within the easement were given 30 calendar days by said Task Force to dismantle their structures two years ago. To date however, structures are still visible within the easement area.
    Provincial Ordinance No 314 series of 2018 provides “every person who shall extract sand and gravel and quarry resources shall secure a permit from the provincial governor and any persons who violate any of the provisions of this ordinance or the rules and regulations shall upon conviction, be punished by not less than P1,000 nor more than P5,000 or imprisonment of not less than 1 month nor more than 6 months or both at the discretion of the court.”.
    It is to be known yet if those issued with stoppage orders shall be charged and accordingly be penalized equivalent to their alleged offenses.
    The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) directs  “all local chief executives  to: (i) ensure and regularly monitor strict and proper compliance by all private entities engaged in mining or quarrying with the legal restrictions,  (ii)order the cancellation of permits issued to such entities found to be in violation of said restrictions, (iii) facilitate legal action against individuals who may be criminally liable for such violations, and (iv) fully cooperate and coordinate with the MGB when called for, in accomplishing all the foregoing directives.