LAOAG CITY – Application for industrial sand and gravel (ISAG) permits in the province of Ilocos Norte has been tightened to ensure that all requirements are strictly followed.
Under the proposed new quarry regulation, provincial board member Da Vinci Crisostomo, in his capacity as chairperson of the committee on laws, said Tuesday all ISAG permittees will now be required to install their own machinery at the quarry site before they can be granted a permit to operate.
"Once they do not comply with this for a period of one year, their permit will be revoked,” he said.
Crisostomo was referring to quarry machinery like stone crushers, separators, or any machinery that qualifies for the operation of an ISAG.
In addition to real property taxes, the quarry industry in the province is a major local revenue source of local government units.
Under the Provincial Quarry Ordinance, both the provincial and municipal governments have a share of 30 percent each from quarry fees and charges while the host barangay will get a 40 percent share.
In previous years, the province has observed a number of illegal quarry operators, prompting the Ilocos Norte Sangguniang Panlalawigan to revise its existing quarry ordinance and impose higher penalties for theft of minerals.
Since 2014, the provincial government established the Provincial Quarry Council (PQC) to intensify the monitoring of illegal quarry operations.
Through the PQC, the office located at the basement of the Ilocos Norte Capitol building is tasked to prescribe the form, accept and evaluate applications for permits including new and extension period of validity permit, approve and grant application permits, deploy personnel to quarry sites for compliance of quarry laws, investigate complaints and impose sanctions for violations of quarry laws, orders and ordinances.
With a growing number of construction activities in the province amid a pandemic, over 140 permits of quarry applicants were approved last year.
For this year, the Ilocos Norte board is also planning to increase quarry fees for both commercial and industrial sand and gravel permittees. The specific amount, however, has yet to be announced. (PNA)