Board Member Andrew Montelibano, chairman of the Negros Occidental Sangguniang Panlalawigan Committee on Environment, said he will conduct ocular inspections of all quarry operations in an effort to mitigate flooding in the third district of Negros Occidental.
An aerial survey is also being planned to determine if catch basins in the mountainous areas of Patag had been damaged, causing them to overflow and flood the lowlands, he said.
They may rent a small plane or helicopter for the aerial survey, he said.
Montelibano’s held a Committee on Environment hearing attended by the representatives of the Provincial Environment and Management Office, Provincial Disaster Management Program Division and the Provincial Social Services and Development Office to discuss the recent floods that hit northern Negros Occidental and find ways to mitigate the problem.
Montelibano said he will conduct an ocular inspection of the about 200 mountain and river quarry operations in the third district to ensure that they are compliant with environment protection rules, as there are reports that the floods could have also been caused by abuses of quarry operators.
They will also review the quarry permits issued and be strict in the issuance of new ones, he added.
“We want to find ways to prevent future floods. If planned well maybe we can lessen the impact,” he said.
Montelibano said he will also ask representatives of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to his next committee hearing to get their inputs on how to further mitigate flooding and discuss possible planting of more trees.
Montelibano said he also instructed the social services department to fast track the massive distribution of food assistance to the flood victims.
He pointed out that 25,000 families with 145,000 individuals were affected by the flooding in the third district of Negros Occidental.*