The order to halt operations imposed on still suspended quarry firms might be extended, the Philippine News Agency (PNA) reported Sunday.
Interventions from concerned parties were reportedly needed to ensure quarry firms’ activities will not pose safety risks to communities near their areas of operations.
“It’s possible for the duration of the work involved to go beyond the end of [the] 15-day suspension period,” Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) mining tenements engineer Wendy Talento was quoted as saying in the PNA report.
She explained those running the suspended firms might need to do some interventions, and that the MGB will still have to assess whether or not to lift the suspension order on the affected quarrying activities.
It can be noted that Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Roy Cimatu imposed a 15-day halt on quarry operations nationwide on September 21 following the fatal landslide in Naga City, Cebu.
However, Cimatu lifted the suspension order in areas found safe for communities near quarry sites.
