To further protect the environment from illegal quarrying operations and illegal loggers, the Provincial Government of Bulacan headed by Governor Daniel R. Fernando, through the Bulacan Environment and Natural Resources Office (BENRO), established a total of nine checkpoints all over the province starting Monday, July 25, to stop the transport of quarrying materials and hot logs.
According to BENRO head Attorney Julius Victor De Gala, the checkpoints will make sure that quarrying and timber materials will only be sourced and transported from legitimate sources.
De Gala said a roving team was created to watch the checkpoints outside the regular 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. hours of operations.
Fernando admitted that quarrying is in high demand and provides jobs for the Bulakenyos but unregulated quarrying has led to the destruction of the environment.
"Ang illegal quarrying po ang kalaban at ‘yun ang patuloy nating binabantayan at nilalabanan,” (Illegal quarrying is the culprit here so we need to continue to monitor and fight it)," the governor said.
Since 2019, BENRO had monitored 468 illegal logging reports and investigated 181 quarrying and mining concerns. It also checked 35,494 vehicles for accreditation stickers and collected 128,551 pieces of delivery receipts and transport slips.
De Gala added that despite the lockdowns and the rise in the prices of petroleum products, the collection of fines from trucks remains and these fines go straight to the Capitol after the issuance of Official Receipts from the Provincial Treasurer’s Office.