The Masungi Georeserve Foundation (MGF) has called on the government to completely cancel the recently suspended mineral production sharing agreements (MPSAs) in the Masungi Georeserve and the Upper Marikina River Basin Protected Landscape (UMRBPL) in Baras, Rizal
In a report by the Philippine Daily Inquirer, MGF called on both Malacanang and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to “cancel the MPSAs once and for all” and prioritize “the safety and welfare of an overwhelming majority over the business interests of a few.”
This statement comes after the DENR suspended the MPSAs of three quarrying companies – Rapid City Realty and Development Corp., Quimson Limestone, Inc., and Quarry Rock Group, inc. – in the Masungi Reserve.
MGF said that the cancellation of quarrying agreements will show “a full and long-term commitment to the conservation” of the Masungi Georeserve and the watershed, adding that the suspension order does not guarantee that the quarry operations will not commence in the future.
The foundation added that the MPSAs issued are within protected areas where “quarrying is clearly prohibited by law.”
