DENR suspends quarrying, crushing plant permits of 11 firms in Rizal

Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has suspended the quarrying and crushing plant permits of 11 companies in Rizal.

During the hearing of the Senate Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Climate Change on Thursday, DENR Secretary Roy Cimatu enumerated the firms whose Mineral Production Sharing Agreements (MPSA) have been suspended.

“Effective December 2, the following MPSA holders are suspended,” Cimatu told the panel as he enumerated the names of these companies:

– MPSA No. 070-97-IV of Asencio-Pinzon Aggregates Corp. (APAC)
– MPSA No. 136-99-IV of San Rafael Development Corp. (SRDC)
– MPSA No. 239-2007-IV of Montalban Millex Aggregates Corp. (MMAC)
– MPSA No. 202-2004-IV of Hardrock Aggregates, Inc. (HAI)
– MPSA Nos. 064-96-IV, 075-97-IV and 088-97-IV of Rapid City Realty and Development Corporation (RCRDC)

The committee was tackling Senate Resolution No. 581 that seeks discussion on the protection and conservation of the country’s forest cover and waterways.

According to the website of the DENR’s Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MRB) in Calabarzon, the following Mineral Processing Permits (MPP) in the province were likewise suspended:

– MPP No. 2017-002-IVA of Oxford Mines, Inc. (OMI)
– MPP No. 2018-001-IVA of Viba Aggregates & Marketing (VAM)
– MPP No. 2018-003-IVA of Amiterra Aggregates Corp. (AAC)
– MPP No. 2019-002-IVA of Dream Rock Resources Phils., Inc. (DRRPI)
– MPP No. 2019-003-IVA of Superior Aggregates, Inc.
– MPP No. 2020-001-IV of ATN Holdings, Inc. (AHI)

According to MRB, the suspension is in compliance with a memorandum dated December 2, where it ordered the temporary suspension of all quarrying and crushing plant operations in Rizal within the coverage of the Marikina River Basin.

In ordering the suspension of the quarrying operations, the MRB noted that the river system of the Marikina River Basin drains toward the Marikina River.

“In compliance with the Memorandum dated December 2, 2020, wherein the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) Director ordered/delegated to the Regional Director the issuance of the temporary suspension of all quarry and crushing plant operations in Rizal Province within the coverage of Marikina River Basin which river system drains toward the Marikina River, the quarrying and crushing plant operations under the following Mineral Contracts/Permits are ordered temporarily suspended,” MRB said in its website.

“The listed permits shall remain suspended until a joint assessment with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ Composite Team has been completed and the cause of flooding in San Mateo and Rodriguez, Rizal and in Marikina City during Typhoon Ulysses on November 12, 2020 has been identified,” the bureau added.

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JPV