Here Is The Reason Why Cebu Banned Dolomite Mining
DOLOMITE MINING – As controversies heat up regarding the Manila Bay white sand project, Cebu banned the sale and transport of dolomite to Manila.
To recall, back in 2018, Cebu suffered a horrific landslide causing the deaths of nearly 80 people in the province. Because of this, Cebu banned the extraction of dolomite being used as artificial sand for Manila Bay to prevent a repeat of the 2018 disaster.
According to officials from Cebu, they weren’t given any permits, neither were they consulted of the dolomite mining in Alcoy town. The dolomite boulders were crushed and shipped to Manila Bay to be used for its beautification project.
However, based on an article from ABS-CBN, the permits were allowed by the Mines and Geoscience Bureau (MGB). It could also be recalled that the MGB was the body that allowed the mining of limestone in Naga, Cebu, where at least 77 people died in a landslide in 2018.
Yesterday, Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia suspended the mining operations in Alcoy. As such, Cebu’s legal management consultant, Marino Martinquilla said: “The governor does not want another tragedy to happen in Cebu“.
Even with the permits from MGB, the mining operations still violated several environmental laws. Meanwhile, it also failed to coordinate with the local government and also lacked studies on the mining’s impact on Alcoy and the biodiversity in the area.
Recently, the Department of Health also said that dolomite dust could potentially be harmful to humans. As a response, DILG Secretary Eduardo Año said they would halt the project if shown proof that dolomite was in fact, harmful.
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