Surigao Del Norte Gov. Matugas stresses a point as Pampanga Gov. Pineda listens during the briefing on the successful quarry industry in the province. Photo by Ric Gonzales
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – “It’s so organized.”
Thus said Surigao Del Norte Gov. Sol F. Matugas after she and her delegates were given a briefing on Thursday about the quarry industry in Pampanga.
She marvelled at the “efficiency” of the administration of Gov. Lilia Pineda in handling the industry that led to the highest-ever collections in the history of the province.
According to the report of Provincial Government Environment and Natural Resources Office (PG-ENRO) chief Art Punzalan, the provincial government had collected a total of at least P121 million from January to May of 2012.
The provincial government collected a total of P478,877,500 million (as of May 22, 2012) since Pineda assumed her post in July 2010.
Former Gov. Eddie Panlilio collected P588,155,000 in his entire term as governor for three years from 2007 to 2010.
Former governor now Senator Manuel “Lito” Lapid had collected P34.573 million for two years from 2003 to 2004. His son, former Gov. Mark Lapid, had accumulated P86.601 million in his one term from 2004 to 2007.
Pineda had a collection of some P238 million in 2011. She stands to surpass the collection registered by Panlilio or any other governor for one term.
“With an average of P20 million collection monthly, we stand to have a total of P720 million for three years under Gov. Pineda,” said Punzalan when asked about his projection of the collection.
Matugas, the first-ever lady governor of Surigao Del Norte, said their province is rich in “any kind of materials when it comes to mining but only collect P10 million a year.”
Matugas said illegal mining and quarry operations happened at night in Surigao Del Norte. She disclosed that their checkers “are only present at day time.”
Matugas had “thoroughly reviewed” their industry after she took over as governor “but it was not enough.
Provincial Administrator Andres Pangilinan Jr. said that at least 220 personnel are under the Kapampangan A Lulugud at Matapat (KALAM). Most of the KALAM members are checkers tasked to ensure the “efficient collection and proper handling” of the quarry industry, said Pangilinan.
“Our checkers have checkers, too,” he added.
Pangilinan said the governor had instructed them to “only issue permits they need and not give them too much.”
This, he added, avoided the selling of quarry permits to illegal operators.
For his part, Punzalan said they had also established a board under the PG-ENRO that checks on the applicants for quarry permits.
“If the board sees that the applicants lack the necessary qualifications, we deny them and we don’t have to give the applications to the provincial administration. It doesn’t also reach the governor anymore,” said Punzalan.
Earlier, the governments of Bukidnon and Isabel provinces visited Pampanga to study its quarry industry.
