DENR Secretary Roy Cimatu leads the inspection of the mineral-processing plant in Alcoy, Cebu on Friday, September 25, 2020. | Morexette Marie B. Erram
ALCOY, Cebu – Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu has ordered the temporary suspension of two large-scale dolomite-quarrying and processing firms in Alcoy town in southeastern Cebu on Friday, September 25, 2020.
READ MORE: Cimatu orders suspension of Alcoy firms mining, exporting dolomite
Cimatu led various regulatory bodies and bureaus under the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) for an ocular inspection in Dolomite Mining Corporation (DMC) and Philippine Mining Services Corporation (PMSC) in Barangay Pugalo, Alcoy.
The DENR Secretary said his visit was due to reports they received and heard from various sectors – both from the public and private – that quarrying and processing dolomite, a type of mineral, have damaged portions of Alcoy’s marine ecosystem.
Alcoy is a fifth class municipality located around 101 kilometers southeast of Cebu City, and where experts said huge deposits of dolomite rocks can be found. /dbs