Ilocos Norte board urges strict monitoring of aggregates in infra projects

Staff reporter

LAOAG CITY—The Ilocos Norte Sangguniang Panlalawigan urged the cooperation of all stakeholders to help prevent mineral theft in the province.

SP member Vicentito “Toto” M. Lazo reiterated that all quarry sites should include the names of contractors to monitor the volume of aggregates used in various infrastructure projects in the province.

As this developed, the SP has requested the Department of Public Works and Highways in the first and second engineering districts of Ilocos Norte to submit a complete list of infrastructure projects and to furnish them data on the specific volume of aggregates needed in these projects.

By doing so, Mr. Lazo said it would be easier for them to monitor the implementation of the quarry ordinance passed in 2017.

As dredging of rivers is also a form of quarrying based on the quarry ordinance, the provincial board also made DPWH to explain where they put the sand.

Assistant district engineer Richard Ragasa of the Ilocos Norte first engineering district reported the dredging of the Bacarra river covering Barangays 8 and Cabaruan which commenced last February was worth PHP40 million.

Mr. Ragasa also clarified that the aggregates dredged from the river are not taken out for construction but are just put to another site on the same river bed.

Based on the newly amended quarry ordinance before a river dredging activity takes place, Mr. Lazo underscored the project implementor shall seek endorsement from the provincial board first.

Provincial legislators are seeking the strict implementation of the quarry ordinance here in an effort to prevent mineral theft, which they observed to be prevalent over the past few years.

In a related development, the board declared invalid at least two municipal resolutions requesting for river dredging in Vintar and Badoc for lack of endorsement from the SP. (Leilanie G. Adriano)

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