Close to 100 residents of Barangay Liberty this town protested the mining and blasting operation of Pheschem Industrial Corp. last April 21. The quarry site of the aforesaid company is located in Liberty, 10 kilometers from the poblacion and is within the protected area of watershed in the said barangay. The group was accompanied by barangay captain, Edilberto Longcanaya trooped to the municipal hall, and sought the help of the municipal officials and the Sangguniang Bayan for their predicament.
Before the start of the regular session, Councilor Jesus Villardo III, told them that their grievances will be given consideration by the SB and give them time to speak before during the session. Brgy. Captain Edilberto Longcanaya deplored Pheschem for its negligence to its social and environmental responsibility to Barangay Liberty. He told SB members that before they have agreed with Pheschem management that they will P100 to the barangay per truckload of lime they hauled at the quarry site. He added that the quarry and blasting in the site has affected their place, mokurog ang yuta inig pabuto sa Pheschem, ug naapektohan sab ang among water system he said, but the Pheschem has not extended help to the concerns of their barangay.
Councilor Gilbert D. Manongsong manifested that the presence of an industrial firm is good especially if the firm knows its social and environmental responsibility, but its contrary in the case of Pheschem. He stressed that there are laws that the company needs to look into to ensure the welfare of the people, If they do not want to submit, it would be good for them not to operate commented.
Councilor Jesus Villardo III for his part stressed that the company has been reaping our environment and in their ECC, Pheschem is required to activities to rehabilitate the area in Liberty, They need to replenish what has taken from the area Villardo added. Sadly, the company has not implemented reforestation project, but it learned that they planted tuba-tuba which will also be consumed by the companys future use. He said that Pheschem needs to talk and confer with people of Barangay Liberty to look into this matter, while he told his colleagues that this matter is very urgent that the SB needs to do something since the company has not been compliant with the law, Comply otherwise close Villardo advised Pheschem.
For his part, Councilor Rodolfo Canson observed that since Pheschem started to operate in the municipality more than twenty years ago, no tangible projects and no enormous improvement in barangays Cantandoy and Liberty. He then urged the residents of Liberty to unite and fight for their right because instead of becoming rich, because of the presence of industrial company in their area, they were instead suffer the consequences of environmental degradation.
Residents for their part assured that they will continue the fight because the company put them to disadvantage and not even extended help to uplift the condition of their village unlike that in other host barangays that benefited the help of the other companys corporate social responsibility. One of them, Louie Villas, 27 years old, said that the protected area has been already denuded, mikuyog gyod ko kay dako na ug kadaut ang blasting nganha sa among lugar he said. While former barangay captain Andresa Braga admitted that this problem has been already going on since she was the village chief.
created by Maryjane Monsanto Rosal
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Barangay Liberty Palompon Leyteby jimsibbick137 views
Its nice to note that the forest should be taken cared of, Mining should stop!!!!
emilfortunata 7 months ago