The Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) has recommend lifting the suspension order against 91 quarry operators around Mayon Volcano in Albay province because of the need to empty and restore the capacity of river channels in the area.
In a statement on Thursday, MGB Director Wilfredo Moncano said these operators were found “compliant” following a probe by the MGB-led task force earlier formed by Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu.
The investigation revealed that only 15 out of the 106 suspended quarry operators have permit violations, he added.
Cimatu had ordered all quarry operations around the volcano suspended and created the task force to look into the possible liability of quarry companies for the lahar flow during the onslaught of Super Typhoon “Rolly” (international name: Goni) last month.
There is a compelling need to lift the suspension on the compliant firms, according to Moncano.
“An increased rate of quarrying is needed to empty and restore the capacity of the river channels, so that when rain comes with eroded material from the slopes of Mayon Volcano, the restored river channel can serve as the pathway to accommodate and remobilize the eroded material,” he explained.
These companies, the MGB chief said, may be allowed to continue operations, but will be subject to strict monitoring under the terms and conditions of their existing permits.
“These quarry firms were proven to have followed quarry regulations, such as not operating beyond their permit area and having an active environmental compliance certificate,” he added.
Moncano also debunked claims that the quarrying operations were largely to blame for the lahar floods that buried some 180 houses and killed at least six people at the height of “Rolly.”
He pointed out that the lahar flow had “always been a likely occurrence in Mount Mayon whenever there’s heavy rainfall, thus making the houses near the active volcano naturally prone to mudflows.”
“The quarrying has an insignificant contribution to the lahar flow devastation caused by Super Typhoon ‘Rolly’ because it was a combination of huge volume of water, combined with stocked lahar that came from the slope and foot of [the] Mayon Volcano,” he added.
Moncano said his office would forward to the Environmental Management Bureau the case of the 15 erring quarry operators for “technical review and possible sanction or payment of penalty,” noting that the immediate rehabilitation of the areas they quarried would also be implemented.