BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya — Rising prices of sand and gravel are hitting government construction projects and consumers in Nueva Vizcaya, prompting the Provincial Mining Regulatory Board (PMRB) to push for tighter safeguards and a revamp of the quarry-tax ordinance.
In Resolution No. 2026-04 approved on Sept. 24, the Nueva Vizcaya PMRB asked the Sangguniang Panlalawigan to review and amend the existing ordinance governing taxes on quarry materials, saying it must keep pace with current market conditions and address concerns over escalating prices.
The provincial mining board said the price increases have already affected government-funded construction projects as well as consumers who rely on sand and gravel for building and other needs. It cited a market-scoping study by the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office as the basis for proposed regulatory measures.
Governor Jose V. Gambito, vice-chairman of the PMRB, called for the amendments during the board’s third-quarter meeting and raised the possible use of the provincial government’s police power to help ease the impact of the price increases while lawmakers work on a longer-term solution.
The PMRB, chaired by Mines and Geosciences Bureau Regional Director Mario A. Ancheta, said higher prices do not automatically mean that quarry operators are engaging in anti-competitive practices under Philippine Competition Commission guidelines.
Still, it stressed that the situation warrants government action because the fair market value set under the existing ordinance has not kept retail prices from rising.
The board urged the provincial council to consider requiring quarry concessionaires to justify price increases and adopt measures promoting fair pricing and transparency. This, it said, is intended to protect consumers and ensure that the rising cost of basic construction materials does not further burden the public. — Artemio A. Dumlao