The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) becomes controversial with its

beautification of the bay project where there is artificial dumping of artificial white sand along the
Manila Baywalk. The white sand is made from dolomite rock mined and exported from Alcoy, Cebu
(Abad, 2020), where the sands is composition of MgO (>17.5%), CaO (34.1%), SiO2 (<0.5%),
Al2O3 (<0.2%) and Fe2O3 (<0.15%)(JFE Mineral Co, LTD, n.d.). The dolomite mine in Alcoy,
Cebu is the biggest dolomite quarry site in the Philippines and the major income of the municipality
comes from dolomite mining (Stinus-Cabugon, 2020). Since 1980s, mining site is in operation,
extracting, processing, hauling and transportation of the dolomite. The Dolomite Mining Corporation
(DMC), the primarily mining company that processes dolomite, was later under the subsidiary of JFE
Mineral Co. Ltd of Japan (PSGC Interactive, 2016). The dolomite mine or quarry site in Alcoy is
supplying dolomite as “soil catalyst” or soil conditioner in banana and pineapple plantations in
Mindanao for years (Stinus-Cabugon, 2020). Based on reports, the Cebu provincial government is
concerned because no permit was issued despite that DMC’s operation are covered with permits from
the Mines and Geoscience Bureau, primary agency government agency under the DENR. Governor
Garcia said there were no proper notice to the Alcoy municipality, noting that the absence of public
consultation “clearly lacks transparency” on the part of the DMC and this violated DENR
Administrative order of the role of the LGU in ensuring compliance with public notice. Based on the
process of Mineral Exploration, what is your opinion on this dolomite mining activity of DMC in
Alcoy, Cebu and importing the dolomite to Manila Bay?
Mabila Bay Walk is a natural harbor which serves the Port of Manila. It is said to be the major center
of economic activity ranging from shipping, industrial, commercial, fishing, aquaculture and tourism.
As we know the DENR was under controversies for their artificial dumping of artificial white sand in
Manila Bay as their beautification project. The artificial white sand it from a dolomite rock mined
and exported from Alcoy, Cebu and that there local government is concerning that the company that
imports the dolomites which is the Dolomite Mining Operation (DMC) doesn’t have the permit and
the proper notice from the local government and Mines and Geoscience Bureau. As a student I know
the our government were doing their best to do the best for our country, but for me why don’t they
first set aside the beautification of the Manila Bay and help first the persons who really need while
we are experiencing the pandemic. As reported in the news this past days, they open it to public
which causes the people to go there, we are in the middle of pandemic, and social distancing is
important, they just give reason to the people to violet the orders. Another one is that why the
company do operates if they don’t have the permit? As I have read for example in the business
registration certificate is important for it authorizes the company to use their trading name for any
business related operations. So if a company doesn’t have the permit to operate how sure we are that
their mining is safe and that it wouldn’t affect the health of the people, animals, or plants? If
unknown their mining could also cause deforestation, erosion, contamination of soil, dust emissions
etc.