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Environmentally destructive activities must be stopped — Go

Bong Go
Christopher “Bong” Go

SENATOR Christopher “Bong” Go said that government should crack down on unsanctioned and destructive quarrying activities in the country, especially once the investigation being carried out by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) proves that it is the reason for the recent massive flooding in some parts of Luzon.

In an interview after he attended the launching of the country’s 95th Malasakit Center in Marikina City, Go recounted the complaints raised by affected citizens when he and President Rodrigo Duterte visited typhoon victims in Albay.

“Nung nag-landing nga po kami ni Pangulong Duterte sa Guinobatan, Albay, ‘yun ang reklamo ng mga tao. Nagsisigawan, ‘Mr. President, ipa-suspinde n’yo na po ito, ipatigil n’yo po ang quarrying dito’,” Go said,

“Eh, kung ‘yun po ang dahilan ay dapat itigil. So, hintayin natin ang resulta ng imbestigasyon ng Department of Environment and Natural Resources kung may kinalaman talaga ang quarrying,” he added.

“Kung may kinalaman, itigil. Pero kung wala at makakatulong naman sa trabaho, ibalik,” he stressed.

Go also reiterated that only the DENR can determine if there is a need for stricter regulations on the quarrying industry.

“Depende na po sa kalalabasan ng imbestigasyon ng DENR kung ‘yun talaga ang dahilan. Pero kung ‘yun ang dahilan, wala na pong dapat pang dahilan na hindi itigil ito dahil importante sa amin ang buhay ng bawat Pilipino,” explained Go.

Go, then, stressed the impact of environmental disasters and climate change to the lives of the people.

“Kita n’yo ang pagdurusa ng ating mga kababayan dahil sa baha. Hirap talaga, ang iba nga d’yan, ‘di pa nakakauwi dahil nasiraan talaga ng bahay,” Go said.

“Mga gamit nila, paninda nila, ubos. May lumapit sa akin kanina, nakikiusap, sira ang bahay, ubos paninda, ubos gamit. Kawawa ang Pilipino,” he narrated.

The DENR has recently launched an investigation into the quarry operations in Rizal after heavy flooding affected the province and city of Marikina when typhoon Ulysses hit the Philippines last month.