By Dolly Yasa
BACOLOD City -Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said permits issued by the government to sand and gravel operators is not a license to abuse.
Lacson said the province is one of the most gifted provinces in terms of natural resources.
“I want to be forthright with you that the permit given to you is a privilege to use and enjoy our resources, not a license to abuse our finite natural reserves,” he added.
Lacson pushed for Sustainable Environmental Management during the Governor’s Permit Holders’ Forum held Friday at the Negros First Residences in Bacolod City.
More than 200 permit holders joined the forum.
“Sustainable Environmental Management is one of the most important thrusts of our Administration’s Development Agenda, coined as Abanse Negrense,” Lacson said.
The stakeholders were also informed of the province’s policy direction for 2020, generated inputs from permit holders/stakeholders on how to improve the permit processing and regulations as well as promote responsible mining practices among mining practitioners in Negros Occidental.
The activity spearheaded by the Provincial Environment Management Office under Atty. Danilo Amisola provided a venue to discuss and address pressing issues concerning the Sand & Gravel and Mineral utilization within the province and strengthened the collaborative participation among government agencies and permit holders.
Also present in the activity were Board Member Rommel Debulgado, chairman of the SP Committee on Environmental Protection; Mines and Geosciences Bureau – Region 6 Director, Engr. Raul Laput; DENR-PENRO Forrester Edgardo Rostata, Negros Occidental Miners Permittees Association, Inc. (NOMPAI) vice president Allan Joseph Arceo, Provincial Administrator Atty. Rayfrando Diaz II, and Dr. Rowena Parcon, head of the PEMO Regulatory Services Division.
