CITY OF CALAPAN鈥擳he provincial government of Romblon has adopted an environmental ordinance that imposes strict limitations on mining and logging in the resource-rich province.
The provincial board on Monday passed the Environment and Natural Resources Code which, according to the antimining group Alyansa Tigil Mina (ATM), seeks to stop 鈥渄estructive industries like mining and logging.鈥�
鈥淭he code will protect us now and our children鈥檚 children,鈥� Romblon Provincial Board Member Felix Ylagan, the principal author of the environment code, was quoted as saying.
New rules
Among others, the code provides that 鈥渕ining shall not be allowed within one kilometer radius from a declared watershed or watershed areas as identified by the municipality concerned.鈥�
Mining will also be prohibited in 鈥渢ourism and agricultural areas as identified by the municipality concerned,鈥� the ordinance added.
鈥淭he legislation challenges local government units to integrate climate change action and disaster risk reduction management plans in their development programs,鈥� said Rodne Galicha, Sibuyan Islands Sentinels League for Environment director.
ATM, through its national coordinator Jaybee Garganera, 鈥渓auded the political will of the legislators and the Romblon locals鈥� in passing the environment protection measure.
Marble is the most significant mineral deposit of Romblon and is the most renowned product of the province, making the province the second biggest marble producer next to Bulacan, according to information published on the Romblon provincial government website.
Marble-rich
The Mines and Geosciences Bureau has estimated that Romblon is endowed with about 150 million metric tons of marble. At current rates of extraction, the supply may last for three more centuries. Tablas Island is also believed to have vast reserves of marble, it added.