Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go said Saturday the national government should crack down on unsanctioned and destructive quarrying activities in the country, especially once the investigation being carried out by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) proves that it is the reason for the recent massive flooding in some parts of Luzon.
In an interview after the launching of the country’s 95th Malasakit Center in Marikina City, Go recounted the complaints raised by affected citizens when he and President Duterte visited typhoon victims in Albay.
“Nung nag-landing nga po kami ni Pangulong Duterte sa Guinobatan, Albay, ‘yun ang reklamo ng mga tao. Nagsisigawan, ‘Mr. President, ipa-suspinde n’yo na po ito, ipatigil n’yo po ang quarrying dito’,” Go said. (That is the complaint when we landed in Guinobatan, Albay. They were shouting ‘Mr. President,’ suspend and stop the quarrying here)
“Eh, kung ‘yun po ang dahilan ay dapat itigil. So, hintayin natin ang resulta ng imbestigasyon ng Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) kung may kinalaman talaga ang quarrying,” he added.
(That is the reason why quarrying should stop. But we have to wait for the results of the DENR’s investigation whether quarrying is to be blamed)
“Kung may kinalaman, itigil. Pero kung wala at makakatulong naman sa trabaho, ibalik,” he stressed.
(If it is the cause, stop it. If it is not and it helps in the employment, let it resume)
Go also reiterated that only the DENR could determine if there is a need for stricter regulations on the quarrying industry.
He stressed the impact of environmental disasters and climate change to the lives of the people.
“Kita n’yo ang pagdurusa ng ating mga kababayan dahil sa baha. Hirap talaga, ang iba nga d’yan, ‘di pa nakakauwi dahil nasiraan talaga ng bahay,” he said.
(We have seen the difficulties our countrymen faced because of flooding. It is hard. Others could not go back because their houses were destroyed)
“Mga gamit nila, paninda nila, ubos. May lumapit sa akin kanina, nakikiusap, sira ang bahay, ubos paninda, ubos gamit. Kawawa ang Pilipino.”
(Their properties, their goods were lost. A while ago, someone approached me and pleaded that he has lost his house…his goods and properties were lost)
The DENR recently launched an investigation into the quarry operations in Rizal after heavy flooding affected the province and city of Marikina when typhoon ‘’Ulysses’’ hit the Philippines last month.