ALCOY Mayor Michael Sestoso will meet with representatives of the Dolomite Mining Corp. (DMC) and the Philippine Mining Service Corp. (PMSC) to shed light on the dolomite controversy.

Sestoso said the Provincial Government has been waiting for the two firms to secure a waste disposal permit.

DMC and PMSC, which are based in Barangay Pugalo, were behind the shipment of around 3,500 metric tons of dolomite to Manila that were dumped on Manila Bay as part of its rehabilitation project.

“We are asking them to comply with the Province’s policy and provide a share of the proceeds from the dolomite that they sell locally. We are in favor of this since we will also be receiving a share,” Sestoso said in Cebuano.

The mayor pointed out that the Province had issued a notice to the two firms to comply with requirements before they could sell their products in the local market.

Sestoso said the two firms have been in the town for almost two decades and employ 300 locals.

He said the two firms have been constantly monitored by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau 7, especially in regard to their mining practices.

Earlier, Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia said she issued a cease and desist order against the two firms not to disrupt their operations but to prevent them from selling their products in the local market.

Sestoso, for his part, said he has no plans to issue an order preventing DMC and PMSC from extracting dolomite in the town, but he urged them to heed the Province’s order immediately. (ANV / JKV)