Sand quarry at Mayon slopes halted amid mudflow threat
LEGAZPI CITY—Quarry operations in Albay province were suspended on Monday following findings of overextraction and environmental degradation at the foot of Mayon Volcano.
In an interview on Tuesday, Gov. Noel Rosal said the two-month suspension would allow the provincial government to regulate the operations and prevent potential lahar and mudflow risks to villages near the quarry sites, especially during this rainy season.
“The recommendation of the task force, since we are already in the ‘ber’ months, is for operators to first remove their stockpiles from the quarry sites. If extraction continues, there is a danger of mud flows,” Rosal said.
Quarry permit holders will only be allowed to dispose of existing stockpiles that have been assessed by the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (Penro).
Rosal also warned their permits would be revoked and banned to operate for five years in the province if they continued quarrying operations during the suspension period.
Sand and gravel quarrying at the foot of Mayon has become a large-scale business, with at least 140 operators granted extraction permits by the provincial government. Last year, the province earned P71.8 million from quarry permits and P98.9 million 2023.
Rosal ordered its suspension after inspection teams discovered that around 30 operators along Mayon’s slopes were digging excessively deep at quarry sites, a practice that could lead to serious environmental consequences, such as changes to the natural course of rivers, river siltation, and soil erosion.
“For example, in one area, the (depth of the) quarry site has reached more than 20 meters in height. Under the law, you are supposed to bench it because such a depth poses a danger of landslides,” Rosal added.
Terminated
On Aug. 22, five quarry operators in the villages of Budiao and Mi-isi in Daraga town had their permits revoked after inspection teams found they had extracted far beyond the permitted volume from their quarry sites. The allowable extraction volume is determined through a geological assessment validated by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau.
Penro Albay chief Elmer de Ala said Tuesday that operators with terminated permits must cease all quarrying operations, dispose only their stockpiles, and implement rehabilitation measures.
Brian Molina, a Penro environmental management specialist, said quarry operators must secure a delivery receipt from the treasurer’s office before transporting gravel or sand from a quarry site, with the volume indicated on the receipt matching the actual quantity being transported.
“Anyone caught transporting aggregates without the required delivery receipts will be apprehended by the task force stationed across various villages,” Molina warned.
Unusual flooding
The price of sand depends on the volume and destination: about P25 per cubic meter for sand sold within the province and P30 for gravel. For sand transported outside Albay, the price increases to P50 per cubic meter and P60 for gravel.
Provincial Administrator Raul Rosal, the governor’s brother and a mining engineer, noted that while quarrying could help reduce siltation in heavily clogged river channels along the slopes of Mayon, it must be carefully regulated to avoid exacerbating existing environmental hazards.
“Unchecked quarrying activities can disrupt natural river systems and increase the vulnerability of nearby communities to flooding and landslides. Proper oversight is necessary to ensure that the benefits of quarrying do not come at the expense of long-term ecological damage,” he explained.
Between Aug. 13 and Aug. 25, heavy monsoon rain unleashed muddy floods carrying boulders and sand in Barangay Masarawag, Guinobatan town, leaving more than 1,300 families stranded in their homes. While inspections showed the floods were not directly caused by quarrying, residents believed the situation was aggravated by quarrying activities.
Prudencio Zaragoza, 87, a longtime Masarawag resident, said they had been used to flooding but floodwater that used to recede quickly were now stronger and stayed longer, “made worse by quarrying.”
Mabel Baterina, 75, also shared that “every time there’s a lahar flow, we hear rocks and water splashing outside my home, reaching the height of a basketball court’s fence.” She added: “This flooding will not end, but it can be prevented if they stop issuing permits to quarry operators.”
Baterina said they used to experience flooding only during typhoons, but in recent years, even short periods of rain triggered debris flows from the volcano.
In November 2020, seven people died after lahar buried their homes in the villages of Travesia and San Rafael in Guinobatan when Supertyphoon “Rolly” (international name “Goni”) struck the Bicol region with 225 kilometers per hour winds and torrential rains.
In 2006, Typhoon “Reming” (Durian) caused devastating mudflows, particularly in Barangay Padang, Legazpi City, where around 600 lives were lost, with many victims left missing.
