Lucena City - April 13, 2024, after the radio-TV program Kasama ng Kalikasan, concerned citizens from Barangay Concepcion Pinagbakuran in Sariaya, Quezon asked for the help of Tanggol Kalikasan, through Program Director Jay Lim to investigate the consecutive explosions within the buffer zone of Mount Banahaw, along the upper part of Lagnas River, which is covered by Barangay Concepcion Pinagbakuran and Sampaloc Bugon in Sariaya, Quezon.

These concerned citizens, who requested anonymity due to fear of retaliation from those responsible for the explosions and quarrying operations, said that they heard several loud explosions from the Lagnas River area, where there is an existing quarry operation. They felt tremors in their homes, causing great anxiety and fear, prompting them to seek help from Kasama ng Kalikasan after no actions were taken by the LGU of Sariaya where they first reported the incident. They suspected that the explosions were caused by the quarry operators in the area. Besides the fear of explosions, they also lament the worsening water scarcity in their area, affecting their livestock and crops, which are their livelihood, since the quarrying started in the upper part of Lagnas.

Tanggol Kalikasan representatives immediately visited the area where they heard a loud explosion, but due to time constraints, they could not investigate the site immediately. Thus, they decided to visit the site on Monday, April 15, 2024. Upon arrival, the team was shocked to find that the area is within the buffer zone of the Mount Banahaw-San Cristobal Protected Landscape (MBSCPL), which is governed by the "Mount Banahaw-San Cristobal Protected Landscape Act of 2009 (Republic Act No. 98471 of 2009)." They were even more surprised to see and record videos and photos of trucks and backhoes operating within the MBSCPL buffer zone.

According to the residents of Concepcion Pinagbakuran, the quarrying brings no significant contributions to their local economy. Instead, it destroys nature, impacts agriculture, and damages the farm-to-market roads used by quarry trucks and equipment. “They also reminded us that the Sariaya Bridge, which was heavily damaged due to quarrying, cost billions to rebuild and disrupted travel for people in Quezon and those going to Bicol, Visayas, and Mindanao. The quarrying offers no significant economic benefits but causes expenses and inconveniences to the citizens,” the residents said.

According to Tanggol Kalikasan, authorities should investigate the issuance of permits to quarry operators and respond to the citizens' concerns. They also called on the local government, PMRB, PAMB, PASU of Banahaw, and DENR to act on the series of explosions and ongoing quarry operations within the MBSCPL buffer zone.

On April 22, 2024, Tanggol Kalikasan was invited by the Sangguniang Bayan of Sariaya to discuss the issue of the explosion and illegal quarrying in Sariaya. According to OIC-MENRO Randy Tronilla, the explosions were made by the Armed Forces of the Philippines, who were permitted to detonate confiscated bombs in the area by the LGU but without the landowner’s permission. He added that Mayor Marcelo Gayeta had already issued an Executive Order stopping the detonation activities.

Meanwhile, Mount Banahaw-San Cristobal Protected Area Superintendent Josephine M. Barrion, represented by Mr. Magtanggol Barrion, insisted that there is still no approved buffer zone for Mount Banahaw. Unfortunately, the approved permittee, Mr. Rafael N. Tantuco Sr., operates within approximately 60 meters of the protected area, according to PMRB Vice Chairman Engr. Rommel Sarmiento and OIC-MENRO Randy Tronilla. Mr. Barrion mentioned that declaring a buffer zone is difficult due to private lands, as a 1 km buffer zone would create many problems.

Mount Banahaw is an active volcano with fault lines that can cause danger to residents and properties. Lagnas and Janagdong Rivers are high geo-hazard areas, and residents do not want a repeat of the devastation from Typhoon Rosing in 1995, which destroyed the Sariaya Bridge, costing billions to rebuild and causing long-term inconvenience.

The information hour during the Sangguniang Bayan session of Sariaya, Quezon revealed that illegal quarrying continues on Banahaw's outskirts, and even those with PMRB permits are illegal in Sariaya without a business permit. Some are only 60 meters away from the protected area.

PGENRO John Lozano emphasized the Environmental Code Section 102, which declares that the province should designate areas where mining and quarrying are prohibited to protect environmental integrity.

On April 26, 2024, Governor Helen Tan issued a moratorium order stopping all quarrying activities in Sariaya, Quezon. Governor Tan urges Mayor Gayeta to review the business permits he has issued in the permitted areas or permitted quarries of the PMRB to facilitate a comprehensive study towards the proper management of the natural resources of Sariaya, particularly in areas close to protected areas like Mount Banahaw.

The Governor also instructed the Provincial Mining and Regulatory Board (PMRB) to review all PMRB-permitted quarries in Sariaya that have not been issued a mayor’s permit, to streamline the policies for obtaining quarry permits and mayor’s permits towards the responsible and sustainable use of natural resources in our province.

Meanwhile, Governor Tan has directed the PG-ENRO to immediately implement the provisions of Section 102 of our Revised Environmental Code, which designates areas to be declared closed to mining, particularly those near protected areas.