Tuesday, September 02, 2008 Lack of funds may halt quarry operations By Jovi T. De Leon
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- Lack of funds to pay the salaries of the 140 Biyaya A Luluguran At Sisikapan (Balas) checkers and team leaders and a dwindling budget to buy fuel for government vehicles used in quarry monitoring may lead to the eventual halt of operations on Wednesday.
A Capitol insider who requested anonymity said after emerging from a late meeting at the Governor's Office that Balas operations may be put to stop this week if the supplemental budget the Provincial Executive is requesting from the Provincial Board (PB) is not released.
"They do not anymore have funds to pay people and to buy oil," the insider said.
Balas personnel were seen last Saturday morning at the Capitol allegedly for a meeting with Provincial Administrator Vivian Dabu, but Sun.Star Pampanga was unable to get details of the weekend gathering.
As this developed, quarry operators met with the PB on Monday afternoon regarding the threat of closure of their operations. Led by Mayor Guerrero of Floridablanca, the operators aired their appeal to Vice Governor Joseller Guiao and the PB about the impending halt to the quarry operations.
The operators fear that their trucks and quarry equipment may be impounded or that they may not be issued receipts in their operations although their quarries are legally documented.
The PB, although admitting they could not guarantee such protection, the operators are asking since it is beyond their jurisdiction, vowed to throw their support to the operators should the executive department commit acts that are against policies and procedures.
Guiao advised the operators to coordinate with the civil society groups since they have been tasked to draft proposals regarding several issues, among them the streamlining of Balas operations, and volunteered to draft the necessary resolutions for their approval.
However, the drafts have not yet been received by the PB but "it would be a matter of time now" since the groups sought an audience with the PB.
In a Capitol press release Monday afternoon, Dabu was quoted as saying that the Panlilio administration will be forced to temporarily suspend quarry operation in the province due to lack of funds.
This was already relayed to quarry operators in Dabu's meeting with them at the Executive House Conference Hall in the Capitol last Friday.
Quarry operators who attended the meeting reportedly expressed outrage and sadness over the new development.
