EIGHT large-scale quarry operators and 15 Industrial Sand and Gravel (ISAG) operators in Central Visayas are back to their regular operations after they were given clearance by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) 7. Operations were suspended following the landslide in Barangay Tina-an, City of Naga, last Sept 20, which claimed the lives of 78 people. The tragedy also wounded several people with four people still missing, and displaced 6,791 individuals.
But large-scale quarry operations of the Apo Land and Quarry Corp. (ALQC) under the Mineral Production Sharing Agreement (MPSA) remain suspended as investigation on the landslide continues. The landslide happened within Apo’s MPSA.
Newly installed MGB 7 officer-in-charge Efren Carido signed the order lifting the suspension following MGB Director Wilfredo Moncano’s approval.
MGB 7 information officer Marian Codilla said that the lifting of the suspension is subject to the assurance of the local government units and operators of quarry and ISAGs to follow the recommendations of the composite technical team, which is composed of geologists and mining engineers who conducted safety and geohazard survey in the surrounding communities where they operate.
The MPSA is one of three mineral agreements between the government and private entities in mining operations under Section 26 of Republic Act 7942 of the Philippine Mining Act.
Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Roy Cimatu ordered the suspension of all quarry operations in eight regions for 15 days, a day after the Tina-an tragedy happened. SCG