BAGUIO City Congressman Marques Go expressed support for the return of the "No Mining in Baguio" provision of the City's Environment Code for the Local Government to be able to protect its environment.
In the weekly Talakayan sa Environment Code, Go explained the need for the city to address the problem of guerrilla small scale mining operations in the city.
"I have asked the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) to give me an overall report of the mining in the City of Baguio and probably in the next few weeks when I get the report and from there, I can make the necessary steps to assure that the city, in terms of its environment, is protected," Go said.
Baguio Regreening Movement chairman Erdolfo Balajadia, earlier called on the City Council to return the 'No Mining in Baguio City' provision of the environment code to assure there will be no operation of small scale mining in and around the various areas in the city.
Balajadia stressed the need of restoring the said provision to ensure the safety of the community against illegal small scale mining.
"When the environment code was in the making, it was a provision of this environment code that mining should not be allowed in the City of Baguio because it is a highly urbanized city, but it was endangered of not being approved because some members of the City Council at that time objected. So in order to save the environment code, we had to agree to remove this provision," Balajadia explained.
Go, meanwhile, said he had a dialogue with Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Roy Cimatu and he is willing to help the city address the concern on small scale mining.
"What I wanted to do first is to identify these mining operations within the city. The problem with small scale mining operations is the standards of doing mining is not in accordance with what it should be and we need to address this, and if they really want to do mining then they should conform with all the regulations set forth by the DENR, MGB and Environmental Management Bureau (EMB)," Go stated.
In his last visit to Baguio, Cimatu led the blasting of five small scale mining operators within the Philippine Military Academy premises.
