By LITO RULONA Correspondent COUNCILOR Zaldy Ocon on Monday pushed for increased fees for those involved in sand and gravel quarry activities in the city in order to boost city hall’s income from such operations from P9 million to at least P100 million each year. Ocon, chairman of the city council’s environment committee, made the proposal even as he alleged that there were irregularities in the payment of quarrying fees to city hall, resulting in a relatively low collections. Ocon said the Bukidnon provincial has been collecting some P300 million each year from sand and gravel quarry operators. Camiguin, he said, generates some P50 million every year. Yet Cagayan de Oro, from 2000 to 2013, collected quarry fees of only P2 million to P3 million a year, he said. Ocon cited possibilities:
  • absence of delivery receipts;
  • use of recycled delivery receipts;
  • some people in government could be involved in quarry operations
Ocon said his proposed increase in quarrying fees could increase city hall’s income from a mere P9 million to P100 million a year. The City Treasurer’s Office collects a fee of P25 for every cubic meter of sand and gravel. Officials said the fee should be increased, citing the town of Tagoloan where quarry operators are paying P165 per cubic meter, and P200 per cubic meter in Bukidnon. In another development, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Mines and Geosciences Bureau in northern Mindanao has started imposing stricter audit standards on mining companies in two regions as part of efforts to put a stop to irresponsible mining. MGB regional director Rex Monsanto said the Bureau started checking on mining firm in the region, and even in Caraga. The audit has two phases: first, is to identify mining firms that are into metallic minerals, and second is on firms into non-metallic minerals. Environment Secretary Gina Lopez has initially identified 43 large-scale metallic minerals all over the country. Monsanto said the DENR pulled out two representatives from its Mining, Environment Safety and Social Division and another two from the Environment Management Bureau from each region, and then fielded them elsewhere. “Gisagol-sagol kami or cross posting. My assignment is Dinagat Island, and I am auditing at least four mining companies,” he said. Monsanto said Lopez wanted to raise the bar on responsible mining in the country with a stricter set of criteria in the audit of around 105 metallic and non-metallic mines nationwide, including quarrying and small-scale mining. “The comprehensive review will focus on the companies’ compliance with the requirements of the Mining Act of 1995, Environmental Compliance Certificate, Forestry Law, and other laws pertaining to mining. We want to see whether a specific violation will entail suspension of operations,” he said. He said the new round of audit would look beyond regulatory requirements such as the social and economic impact of the mining operations nationwide. “With the new round of audit, there will be a list of criteria they need to comply with, otherwise they may face suspension. Kinahanglan nga ilang i-follow ang terms and conditions of the mining firms,” he said.