LAOAG CITY—The lower stream of the Bolo river in Ilocos Norte province is currently undertaking rehabilitation due to unsystematic quarrying activities.
Victor Dabalos, Officer-in-Charge of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Ilocos Norte said Friday quarry operators were required to rehabilitate their own area of operation before cease and desist order issued to them will be lifted.
As part of the rehabilitation process, quarry operators using their own quarry equipment such as payloaders, move sand, gravel and boulders to the deep extracted part of the river and level it up to ensure the continous flow of water during the rainy season.
Dabalos said there is no specific timetable or fund required for the rehabilitation process as it all depends on the quarry operators to fully comply with all the requirements of extracting minerals.
He insisted no quarry permittee will be allowed until the river rehabilitation is completed.
The Bolo river watershed, covering area of 21,410 hectares in the towns of Adams, Bangui and Pagudpud, is among the 22 priority watersheds in Ilocos Norte.
“Quarrying activities remain suspended at the Bolo river as the rehabilitation is still on-going,” said Dabalos.
On May 16, the DENR has issued notice of violations to 14 quarry operators along the Bolo river for lack of permit. As of this posting, a newly-formed special task force is currently monitoring the area for strict compliance of the DENR order.
DENR said the Bolo river system traces its headwater from the virgin forests of Calanasan in Apayao province down to the river system of Adams as the mid-stream part and the towns of Pagudpud, Bangui and Dumalneg as the low-stream part.
In Ilocos Norte, quarrying is a major local revenue source of local government units in view of continuous infrastructure projects such as construction of roads and bridges, residential houses and other commercial establishments. (Leilanie Adriano/PNA)
