The Sangguniang Panlalawigan Committee on Environment and Natural Resources has moved for the review of more than 200 quarry operations in Negros Occidental after the recent floods in the northern part of the province.
Third District Board Member Andrew Montelibano said the flooding incidents that happened just a week apart – on Jan. 1 and 8 – affected more than one hundred thousand individuals, including those in his district.
“It is an unexpected event since there was no weather disturbance and the flooding was merely cause by heavy rainfall,” he added.
On Wednesday, Montelibano spearheaded a committee hearing attended by Vice Governor Jeffrey Ferrer and other board members as well as the heads of the Provincial Environment Management Office and other Capitol departments.
He said that there is a need to assess the status of the more than 200 quarry operations approved by the PEMO.
The committee resolved to inspect the actual status of the operations with the PEMO and the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office to evaluate if quarrying has contributed to the recent flooding.
Montelibano said the incidents called the attention of public officials on how to look for answers to the prevailing problem.
He added that the committee will draw up a program on possible solutions that might be adopted by the local government units.
Montelibano suggested to impose stricter rules and to limit the approval of applications since a hundred more applicants are still pending with the PEMO.
He also instructed the head of the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office through the advice of Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson to provide additional food assistance to the affected families.
PSWDO head Merly Garcia said they will prepare food assistance to augment the relief operation of the LGUs.
This is aside from the family food packs already distributed by the Department of Social Welfare and Development, she said.
The DSWD Region 6 provided 1,000 family food packs each to cities of Talisay, Silay, and Victorias and 700 to E.B. Magalona. – MML
