THE Social Action Center (SAC) of the Diocese of Bacolod and the members of Hacienda Bendito Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Association (Habenarba) urged the government officials to stop the quarry operations at Sitio Arceo in Barangay Alangilan, Bacolod City.
SAC head Fr. Chris Gonzales said Wednesday, October 3, they are assisting the members of Habenarba, all residents of Barangay Alangilan, because it’s the role of the church to help those who are in need.
He said in July and September 2018, they send a letter to the City Mayor’s Office, asking to look into the matter and stop the quarrying in Sitio Arceo.
The SAC is still waiting for the response of Mayor Evelio Leonardia on this matter.
Gonzales noted that on May 15, 2018, the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) recommended to the city to notify Arceo to immediately stop his quarry operation and to pay the corresponding penalties due to the over-extraction in the permit area which it reached to 213,974.0 cubic meters of loose materials.
If warranted, the MGB also recommended to the city to issue ceased and desist order.
The MGB also tasked the city to require Arceo to start the implementation of the rehabilitation program in the area.
Aside from the Arceo family, in 2008, the Jokris Enterprises also engaged in quarry operations in Barangay Alangilan.
Ermanlyn Glino, chairman of Habenarba, said the quarrying existed in Barangay Alangilan for almost 21 years.
She said the Arceo family engaged in quarry operations in 1977 and it becomes massive in 2008 to 2014.
Glino pointed out that the land being utilized for quarry operation is covered by the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR).
In 2008, Habenarba members received an ejectment order to vacate the land of the Arceo family.
Hundreds of families in Sitio Arceo were displaced without a relocation area. Most of them constructed their houses beside the road in Barangay Alangilan.
Glino said in July, they sent a letter to Leonardia, but until now there’s no response.
“The DAR has no power to stop the quarrying operations even though, the area is covered by Carp. They [quarry operators] already extracted almost 20 hectares of land areas at Sitio Arceo, so we are waiting for the response of the local government,” she said.
She added there was also an Order of Finality from the Supreme Court that these land should be placed under the agrarian reform program.
Glino revealed on September 21, 2018, the Barangay Alangilan officials held a public hearing about the new quarry application of Alberto Rafael Arceo III and Marina Arceo, which is adjacent to the quarry operation in Sitio Arceo.
“We opposed on this application and we are hopeful that our barangay officials will not issue an endorsement for the quarry operation of the Arceo family. This land is covered by Carp so they should distribute it to the beneficiaries,” Glino said.
She said the quarry operations already affected almost eight sitios of Barangay Alangilan.
“Aside from land distribution, it’s also our concern that the landslide incidents in Baguio and Cebu will not happen in our barangay,” she added.
The Barangay Alangilan officials will hold a regular session today to tackle the quarry application of Arceo.
“If they will endorse the quarry’s application of the Arceo family, we will file a case against them in the Ombudsman office,” Glino said.
The SAC and members of Habenarba are hopeful that Leonardia and the Barangay Alangilan officials will not allow the Arceo family to continue their quarry operation.
Gonzales said in quarrying per see, the church is not totally against on it because it’s part of the development, but it should be responsible quarrying or with correct monitoring to ensure the safety of everybody.
He said the last inspection of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in the area was four years ago.
Gonzales questioned the capacity of the DENR and the city government to monitor this kind of activity in Barangay Alangilan.
“Let’s remember the landslide incidents in Baguio and Cebu, wherein Cebu, it was declared safe by the government agency in August only but landslide still happened,” Gonzales said.