Antique lifts moratorium on quarry permits

Malandog River rehabilitation project in San Jose de Buenavista is one of the infrastructure projects that needs supply of sand and gravel. In line with this, the Antique provincial government lifted the moratorium on the issuance of quarry permits on Aug. 29. ANNABEL CONSUELO PETINGLAY/PNA
Malandog River rehabilitation project in San Jose de Buenavista is one of the infrastructure projects that needs supply of sand and gravel. In line with this, the Antique provincial government lifted the moratorium on the issuance of quarry permits on Aug. 29. ANNABEL CONSUELO PETINGLAY/PNA

SAN JOSE, Antique – The Antique provincial government lifted a moratorium on the issuance of quarry permits to prevent delay on some government infrastructure projects in the province.

Antique Gov. Rhodora Cadiao on Thursday said she lifted Executive Order (EO) 49, issued on June 13 upon the advice of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) regional offices, prior to the conduct of an investigation into the alleged illegal quarrying activities.

“I have issued Executive Order 81 last Aug. 29 lifting the moratorium,” Cadiao said.

She added the moratorium was lifted despite the ongoing investigation to prevent delay on several infrastructure projects – like the P24-million DENR-funded Malandog River Rehabilitation Project in San Jose de Buenavista and the roads – which need sand and gravel.

“Whereas, it was observed that a number of quarry permits have either expired or about to expire, and presently the volume of sand and gravel is not sufficient to meet the current demand to support the ‘Build, Build, Build’ program of the government in the province of Antique, and the situation would have adverse and inimical consequences if the moratorium on granting quarry permits were not lifted…I do hereby lift the moratorium on the granting of quarry permits,” Cadiao cited in the new EO 81.

Cadiao said lifting the moratorium does not mean that other quarry permittees, who have the Ore Transport Permit (OTP), could already transport sand and gravel to Iloilo, Aklan, and other places in the country.

“Transporting sand and gravel outside of Antique is still not permitted though,” she added.

Cadiao said out of the 15 OTP permittees, three are under investigation by the MGB and DENR for transporting outside of Antique more than 20 cubic meters of sand and gravel per truck despite paying tax for only about 10 cubic meters of sand and gravel per truckload.

“These permittees, by not paying the proper tax, have abused the kindness of the province,” she added.

The Provincial Environment and Natural Resources, was charging P25 per cubic meter of extracted sand and gravel for commercial use and P50 per cubic meter sand and gravel for industrial use.

Cadiao said heavy truckloads destroy highways in Antique.(With a report from PNA/PN)

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