OUT of the 64 new quarry business applicants, the Davao City Council had already rejected four applications because of environmental-related issues, said Councilor Danny Dayanghirang.
Currently the city has 53 quarry operators with permits which are all subject for renewal.
“If you look at the map of Davao City, you will see a spot of massive destruction of environment...If we approve all these new applications, all in all we will have 117 quarry operators in the city for this year. It’s a big challenge for the environment sector now – maintaining the sustainability of our environment from any flooding,” said Dayanghirang.
He added as of Tuesday, May 22, they have already rejected four of the new applicants and assured that they will continue rejecting if the applicants do not meet the standard requirements of the city.
Dayanghirang said the rejected applicants primarily had problems with their permits including the Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) while others apply for permit to operate in areas that are not intended for quarrying. Although these companies request for exemptions, Dayanghirang said they wouldn’t give out exemptions and that granting such requests would be inconsistent to what is approved by the city council as far as the zoning ordinance is concerned.
“I think we lack inventory and proper monitoring of our natural resource. At the end of the day, if we keep on allowing it – if you allow 117 applicants of quarry operators to operate – you can just imagine 117 businesses bringing in extracted materials every day for a year, you’ll have a problem with the destruction of the road because the trucks passing by are too heavy,” he said.
There exists an argument that quarrying helps lower the level of the river hence it lessens the chances of flooding. However, Dayanghirang said he does not believe in this argument and further stated that quarrying actually does the opposite.
“The more you give way for the flow of water, there will be more current and the more water because there will be no more items of materials that will mitigate and minimize the flow of water,” he said.
Dayanghirang also suggested that a proper monitoring and inventory be done for the natural resource of the city.
“The way I look at it, unless and until the city planning can come up with the inventory of the present natural resource for disposal, I think the council would tend to reject applications,” Dayanghirang said who added that the quarrying businesses in Davao City contribute to only about 10 percent of the total revenues of the city.