Ilocos Norte OKs 140 quarry permits for 2020

By Leilanie G. Adriano

Staff Reporter

LAOAG CITY—Local revenue sources will increase this year with the approval of 140 permits of quarry applicants last year.

Records from the Provincial Quarry Office showed the provincial government has released at least 91 of the 140 permits with the remaining permits due for release on the first week of January 2o20.

Compared to previous years, there were only 77 approved quarry permittees in 2018, and 113 in 2019.

For this year, Sangguniang Panlalawigan member Donald Nicolas, in his capacity as chair of the committee on appropriations, said they expect an increase in the collection of local revenues in view of the increase in quarry fees.

In addition to real property taxes, the quarry industry is a major local revenue source of local government units in the province.

Under the Provincial Quarry Ordinance, both the provincial and municipal governments have a share of 30% from quarry fees and charges while the host barangay will get a 40% share.

In previous years, the province has observed a number of illegal quarry operators, hence the Sangguniang Panlalawigan moved to revise the existing quarry ordinance and imposed higher penalties for theft of minerals.

“We have strengthened the regulation of quarry operations and we hope this will increase our local revenue sources,” said Mr. Nicolas following the approval of the quarry permits.

The PQC has also a new set of members and an oversight committee to intensify the monitoring of illegal quarry operations.

In 2014, the PQC was created by virtue of Executive Order No. 238-14 specifically to prescribe form, to accept and evaluate applications for permits including new and extension period of validity permit, approve and grant application permits, deployment of personnel to quarry sites for compliance of quarry laws, investigate complaints and impose sanctions for violations of quarry laws, orders and ordinances.

But the Ilocos Norte government temporarily suspended the granting of sand and quarry permits until the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of the comprehensive Provincial Quarry Ordinance was finalized.