Three mayors of Metro Manila cities located at the downstream of the Upper Marikina Watershed and Masungi Geopark Projec urged the national government to cancel three large-scale quarrying agreements, saying their operations may cause widespread flooding.
In a statement, the local officials along with other environment groups said it is their constituents who would suffer once flooding similar to devastation brought by Typhoons Rolly and Ulysses occur.
Various groups of experts, civic leaders, and indigenous people have appealed for the cancellation of three Mineral Production Sharing Agreements covering more than 1,300 hectares after DENR Acting Secretary Jim Sampulna reportedly opted to suspend the MPSAs which have not operated for 24 years rather than cancelling them.
“With only about 11 percent of forest cover left in the watershed, the devastation of life and property can be even worse than what was experienced during typhoon Ondoy,” the statement read. Both the protected areas act and the Philippine Mining Act ban quarrying in national parks and proclaimed watershed reserves. In addition, the Mines and Geosciences Bureau itself said that the quarrying companies committed breaches in their contracts that are grounds for cancellation.
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