The municipal government of Lobo, Batangas, a renowned biodiversity hotspot in the Philippines, has lodged a complaint with state agencies, urging them to cancel the permits of a mineral extraction and processing company. The Efren Ramirez Construction and General Services Corp. (ERCGSC) is accused of multiple violations of environmental laws and local ordinances.
In a series of complaint letters to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), the Environmental Law Enforcement and Protection Services, and the Lobo Mayor, the officials highlighted at least nine violations committed by ERCGSC, which they believe warrant the revocation of its Industrial Sand and Gravel (ISAG) permit and Mineral Processing Permit (MPP).
The controversy stems from a memorandum of agreement signed in 2012 between ERCGSC and seven Lobo barangays. The agreement allowed ERCGSC to dredge and desilt the Lobo River as part of an irrigation project. However, in 2017, Barangay Nagtaluntong was excluded from the project to protect the water intake facility in the area. Despite this, ERCGSC continued its dredging operations in Nagtaluntong, even after the suspension of its ISAG permit.
The company’s activities have caused damage to the infrastructure of the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) within a 1-kilometer radius of the water reservoir. Consequently, the municipal government has requested the immediate revocation of all ISAG permits and Mineral Processing Permits issued to ERCGSC.
Moreover, ERCGSC has been found to be engaged in the manufacture of culverts, sea wave breakers, and hollow blocks for commercial purposes, which violates its MPP. The Environmental Management Bureau restricted the company’s operations to the processing or crushing of sand and gravel materials, emphasizing that ERCGSC should have obtained a separate Environmental Clearance Certificate (ECC) permit.
Residents living near ERCGSC’s crushing plant have complained about the noise and dust, which has resulted in health issues. Despite the company passing the ECC’s pollution test, the mayor asserts that the noise and dust pollution violate the terms and conditions of the ECC.
Additionally, ERCGSC has been consistently late in paying the Load Safety Inspection Fee (LSIF). The municipal government stresses that the LSIF payments for specific periods were only made in April 2023, long after they were due.
Furthermore, ERCGSC has violated the zoning requirements by constructing its crushing and batching plants on residential and agricultural land. The mayor points out that the land classification for the batching plant is commercial, while its operation falls under the industrial category. Similarly, the land where the crushing plant is located is classified as mixed residential and agricultural, but ERCGSC’s activities are commercial in nature. These violations make it impossible for ERCGSC to be granted a permit.
Lastly, the company lacks a business permit for its crushing plant in Barangay Poblacion and batching plant in Barangay Mabilog na Bundok.
The municipal government of Lobo has requested funding from Congress to repair the damage caused by ERCGSC to the town’s irrigation system. The request has received endorsements from Rep. Gerville Luistro, Rep. Gus Tambunting, and Rep. Shernee Tan Tambut, with a total allocation of P525 million.
It is evident that ERCGSC’s activities have had a detrimental impact on the environment and the local community. The municipal government of Lobo is taking a strong stance against these violations and is seeking the revocation of permits to ensure the protection of the town’s natural resources and infrastructure.
Source: The Manila Times
