By Victor Batongbakal, Clarence May De Guzman, and Christian Apole
"Meron walang permit, [minsan] may permit. Yun na kase ang hanapbuhay ko, maninibag talaga."
Growing up near the opencast mine where extracted minerals serve as their main source of living, one thing Roberto "Loloy" Sabino bequeathed from his father is the built and strength of being a quarryman.
Photo of Loloy while sharing his life as a quarry worker.
Given their situation, he was unable to finish primary school which led him to stretch his bones by helping his father on the site as early as 9 years old.
Years later, Loloy sees the quarry as something that he has been grateful for his whole life. Even now that he has his own family, this activity is still his primary resort to sustain their needs.
With a family of ten, including himself and his wife, the P500 that he earns from the quarry is insufficient. The reason why Loloy is going above and beyond to fulfill his role as the pillar of their home. However, similarly to any other job, there will always be bad days.
Last August 24, this year, through the power of Executive Order (EO) 21, Gov. Daniel Fernando temporarily suspended all permits of mining, quarrying, dredging, desilting, and other types of mineral extractive-related operation within Bulacan because of the issue of over mining and dilapidated roads.
Despite the suspension, quarrying activity continuously operates in one of the Barangays in Sta. Maria, Bulacan.
In the surprise inspection conducted by Gov. Fernando along with the Bulacan Environment and Natural Resources Office (BENRO) in Barangay Camangyanan, they discovered an illegal quarrying site that they believe operating for almost 30 years now.
Bulacan Governor Daniel R. Fernando standing on the scombro rock or “bulik” during the surprise site inspection at Brgy. Sitio Alimasag, Santa Maria, Bulacan, Camangyanan where the actual illegal quarrying site is operating. Photo by Shane Frias Velasco
The five hectares plot in secret farmland with the deep excavation that slowly becoming a fishpond because of the compiled water brought by the rain appears to be the best hiding spot for 29,625 cubic meters of high-end Scombro rocks or "bulik" that has an estimated cost of P20 million.
The exact location of the said surface mine is just stepped away from where Loloy lives.
His five fellow workers and the operator of the illegal activity were arrested under the custody of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.
With the heightened campaign of Bulacan to go against illegal quarrying and mining after the aftermath of Typhoon Karding which killed five rescuers, Loloy is not afraid of the indication of danger that lies in quarrying sites. Instead, he worries about the day when he won't be able to support his family's demands.
DEFICIENCY ON AUTHORITY'S SIDE
The Institute of Quarrying (IQ) defines quarrying as the extraction of rock, sand, gravel, or other minerals from the ground for the purpose of construction or other uses. Basically, a quarry is any work done on the earth's surface where minerals are extracted. It is different from mining. Unlike mining, quarrying is more likely about cutting or digging of stones, and other related materials from an excavation site or pit, leaving a large hole in the ground.
The damage left by the quarrying activity creates little ponds as contaminated water traps in the open spaces.
In Bulacan, this activity is observed under the 2011 Revised Environmental Code of the Province of Bulacan which encompasses all national legislation on the protection and conservation of the environment.
After the Bulacan provincial government blamed illegal quarry sites for the province's widespread and destructive flood, fixing and creating new ordinances that will be tightened their responsibility to operate became the priority of the agency.
“Hindi pa kami makapag-out ng ordinance kasi nga hinihintay pa ‘yung complete process. ‘Yung mai-publish siya, makumpleto ‘yung ibang documentary requirements. Pero sa Sangguniang Panlalawigan, sa legislative department is pirmado na siya, approved na siya by principle.” explained by the BENRO representative.
This sum up why the Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office (MENRO) of Sta. Maria seems to be clueless about the ordinances in line with quarrying operations.
Upon asking about the issue of the recent closure of the quarrying site in Camangyanan, MENR Officer, Rommel Enriquez said that the provincial government is the one who is responsible for this kind of activity since the power to regulate was given by them.
He also told us that they did not know beforehand about the surprise inspection on the site. But then, they were notified regarding the temporary closure of all quarrying sites that they passed down to all barangays by sending a letter.
“Eto mga tao medyo may katigasan ang ulo kahit na sinabihan na sila, nagtibag pa rin sila ng bato. Minsan kasi wala sa gobyerno ang problema, nasa tao o mamamayan ang problema. Bilang edukadong tao, bakit mo naman gagawin kahit sinabeng bawal? Documented naman yon, ['yung] pagbibigay namin ng order,” the officer implied.
The operator of the quarrying site neglected to give a statement.
When asked about why some illegal quarrying operations sneaked out, Enriquez's exposition was lack of staff.
“Siguro kase kulang sa tao, hindi ko naman mababantayan yung ganito kalakeng area dahil bilang municipal environment officer marami rin kameng gampanin, at mas nagcoconcentrate kami dun sa task na yun. By virtue of law, hindi kame primary actors pagdating doon sa enforcement whether the issuance of permit or regulatory functions, provincial government ang masusunod don,” he asserted.
According to him, in order for them to intensely monitor something like illegal quarrying operations, the provincial office must review first the regulation of law about it.
GIFT OF NATURE
With the rising cost of living, the majority of Filipinos are scrambling to make ends meet on a daily basis.
That is why Loloy was over the moon the moment he knew that Gov. Fernando temporarily lifted the mining and quarrying ban in Bulacan last October 26.
For someone that relies on the mineral from the quarry, the suspension ordered by the people’s governor was hard to take for Loloy.
Quick background of the quarrying process.
“Oo malaki [epekto]. Kasi [sa] totoo lang, yan ang hanapbuhay namin. Wala kaming pinag aralan. Kase ako Grade 3 lang pinag aralan ko, ‘yan lang ang hanapbuhay ko talaga. Sa nangyaring ganiyan na pinagbawal na, eh wala akong pinag aralan naghanap ako ng ibang trabaho. Kase nung highschool ako, kumikita ko ng 500 plus kada araw humihigit pa,” the quarryman stated.
He also mentioned that they did not know whether a particular quarrying operation was legal or not.
“Hindi naman namin alam na illegal, hindi naman namin alam na bawal. Kase noong unang panahon, hindi naman bawal yan, yun ang kinagisnan namen na pagtitibag,” Loloy added.
Capitalists nowadays prey on people's innocence in order to achieve their end goals. As a result, these clueless individuals are becoming involved in incidents that they did not fully understand at the first hand.
Behind the walls of the quarrying site of Camangyanan, there is someone like Loloy who became dependent on the resources of the land even though sometimes it is illegally done.
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