The Cebu Provincial Government shall conduct a joint inspection with national line agencies on the current state of Brgy. Pugalo, Alcoy in southern Cebu where the Philippine Mining Service Corporation (PMSC) continues to operate.
Joining Capitol officials in the inspection will be teams from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR 7), Environment and Management Bureau (EMB 7), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG 7), Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO), and Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO).
On April 11, Gov. Gwen Garcia met with DENR 7 Executive Director Paquito Melicor Jr. and EMB 7 director Ma. Victoria Abrera and showed the extent of damages sustained by Alcoy’s reefs due to PMSC’s activities over the years.
CPPO director PCol Percival Zorrilla, PCG 7 Liutenant Czareeve Y. Egos, and PENRO-Cebu director Jose Cleo Colis were also in attendance at the meeting where Gov. Garcia showed footages of how Alcoy’s once vibrant coral reefs have become gray and lifeless — sure signs of disturbances in their natural habitat.
The governor pointed out the activities that have created pollution in the area, which include, among others, the actual hauling of dolomite and other quarry resources from PMSC plant to ships docking in a nearby port.
The spills during this large-scale hauling have slowly ebbed the life of Alcoy’s waters. The group is set to take samples of water in the area during the inspection and see what actions they can take on the issue.
It can be recalled that in 2020, an inspection was also made, and a cease-and-desist order was issued after pollution was found rampant in the area.
Gov. Garcia had issued a series of orders reinforcing the directive for PMSC to immediately halt processing, selling, and transporting dolomite and other quarry resources due to violations of local tax and environmental laws, but to no avail. | BJR