Environment office sets measures for quarry collection target

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (Penro) chief Art Punzalan said Tuesday they have set measures to achieve the governor’s P400-million quarry collection target for 2012.

It could be remembered that Governor Lilia Pineda has set her sights on a P400-million quarry collection target as part of her main priority works for this year.

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Punzalan said the first priority for the year would be on the quarry fee increase of P50 on the current P150 being collected per truck.

“With the increase in quarry fee there would be a natural increase on the quarry collection and we hope that this will contribute to our overall collection,” Punzalan said, stressing that Penro office is still implementing the safeguards and procedures on efficient quarry collection.

“Our safety nets are still there. The regulation and monitoring of quarry activities is still the top priority of the Penro and is among the sure measures that contribute to our effective quarry collection,” Punzalan said.

Punzalan also sees an additional income for the quarry industry from the P30 fee for the use of weighing scales under the anti-overloading program of the Provincial Government in line with the Anti-Overloading law.

Records from the Penro showed that collections from January to December in 2011 were pegged at P236,130,000.

Records also showed that the province granted gratuitous permits to different municipalities, which led to the delivery of 10,701 truckloads of quarry materials. The extraction fee for each truckload is P300. For gratuitous permits, if duly converted, will give additional income of P3,257,400.

He added that he is also coordinating with municipal and barangay officials for the proper implementation of the anti-overloading laws here.