Angono denounces quarrying allegations

The local government of Angono, a town known as the art capital of the country, is pushing back against claims that quarrying is the primary cause of flooding.

Mayor Gerry Calderon said that the town has consistently opposed quarry operations and has not experienced a major flood since typhoon “Ondoy” in 2009.

Calderon was responding to a segment on the television show KMJS, which aired on 3 August and claimed that quarrying was the main cause of flooding in Rizal province. The program included an interview with a local resident who expressed concern about the activities.

In a statement, the local government acknowledged that extractive activities may contribute to the siltation of rivers but stressed that mitigation measures, such as the regular dredging of the Angono River, are in place.

“The footage of the flood that they showed was not from Angono,” Calderon said. “There has been no major flooding in our town since typhoon ‘Ondoy.’ After ‘Ondoy,’ there has been none.”

The mayor said the town has a river rehabilitation program that includes excavation and the installation of retaining walls to prevent overflowing.

The local government has long opposed the permits for mining and quarrying operations. According to a statement, the permits for Concrete Aggregates Corporation, which has been active since 1969, were renewed by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources for another 25 years in 2020 and 2021, despite the town’s consistent opposition.