Ocio on quarrying

Ben Contreras .

AMID allegations that a fleet of huge dump trucks loaded with quarrying materials operate in the dark of the night and during weekends to avoid being noticed by the public and concerned government agencies and a shipload of quarrying materials brought elsewhere to include a foreign land, allow me to share what dentist Bob Ocio wrote on Feb. 2, 2017:

“A congressman is suspected to operate this quarry (referring to a photo as the basis of his article) in San Simon. Moreno and 2 congressmen lead destructive quarrying in CDO.

“Edwin Dael is ordered by Oca (Mayor Moreno) to crack down on small-time gold miners to divert our attention. However, the big-time destructive quarrying operations like this (referring to the picture) in the center of the river near the bridge are done non-stop on broad daylight. These are thieves and criminals posing as public servants. Flooding kills and destroys but look who leads in these destructive activities at the expense of our entire city?

“SendongCa tragedy is waiting to happen. Cracks are showing on the river banks.

“Quarrying Jan. 24, 2017 at San Simon Bridge in CDO

“Our problem on the environment becomes a battleground where the mayor and at least two congressmen, his appointed representatives from the environmental group which now turn their back from our cause, the City Council, barangay officials and wealthy cronies are making a fortune out of destructive quarrying. The City Mining Regulatory Board (CMRB) in Cagayan de Oro is composed of 1) MGB Rex Monsanto as Chair, 2) Mayor, vice Chair, 3)member of small-scale mining, 4) member of the large-scale mining, 5) member of Sulog Ronnie Ravanera, 6) Honorary member from the City Council Zaldy Ocon and 7) Clenro as secretariat. These people, among other representatives, recommend the issuance and/or cancellation of permits for mining and quarrying activities in the city. This is a whole bureaucracy conniving to make this thing looks like it’s operating legally. In fact, Edwin Dael of Clenro called our words of concern and evidences as disinformation.”

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Claiming that this report has been sent to the President, it’s a wonder that after one year, nothing has happened to put an end to it. Was the report lost or filtered?

Dael has been replaced by Armen Cuenca. But it looks like they’re of the same banana if the report is true. Investigation is ongoing though.

The P7-million income of Clenro from mining and quarrying business is a joke, to say the least. The real income seems to have gone to certain pockets as they laugh all the way to the banks.

MGB has a ready alibi. Their responsibility has been devolved to the local government unit. How about the DENR as a whole?

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While the project of building a hospital in Lumbia is laudable, I find it strange that there are no takers. Is it true that it would cost only P50 million? Is it smaller than that of Alubijid’s? Remember that the Alubijid hospital was built at a cost of around P100 million. It was said to be a joint project of the province and the Overseas Workers’ Welfare Administration.

The finished product, if ever, will provide the answer to this question. Hmmmm… Perhaps, it’s time to visit the Alubijid hospital and see how it’s doing lately.