TACLOBAN CITY – In a bid to protect its vital water sources and uphold environmental safeguards, the city government of Borongan is taking firm steps to prevent any mining activities within its territory, following a recent social media post by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) that listed several local barangays as open for mining applications.
The post, which mentioned Barangays San Andres, Taboc, Bato, Can-abong, and other areas along the Loom River, raised concerns among residents and city officials.
In response, Mayor Jose Ivan Dayan Agda met with officials from MGB-Region 8, PENRO (Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office), and barangay leaders to clarify the situation.
In a statement, Mayor Agda assured the public that no mining activity has been approved or is underway in Borongan, emphasizing that the local government has already designated the mentioned areas as part of the city’s protected watershed, effectively barring any mining development.
“These areas are within our protected water system and parts of the Samar Island Natural Park (SINP), which are legally off-limits to extractive activities,” Agda said. “We are preparing an ordinance to further formalize this protection.”
He stressed that under national law, no mining application can proceed without a certification from the Sangguniang Panlungsod affirming that the proposed site is not within a protected area. Since Borongan’s watershed is legally protected and serves as the city’s main source of potable water, any mining activity in these areas would be disqualified.
During the meeting, Engineer Margarito Barretto of MGB clarified that the bureau’s post was part of its standard procedure after rejecting the application of JUHEFA Mining Corporation, which sought to explore 2,759.79911 hectares in Borongan.
The application failed to meet five major requirements, including the absence of a certification from the local government declaring the area free from watershed or protected zone designation.
“The post is not an endorsement of mining but a transparency mechanism when an application is denied,” Barretto explained.
Mayor Agda thanked the barangay captains and civil society—including the local Church and media—for their active role in defending the environment. “We remain committed to development that is aligned with our people’s needs and ecological sustainability,” he said.
The Borongan City Council is now poised to pass an ordinance that will certify the identified areas as part of the city’s critical watershed, bolstering local legal defenses against future mining applications.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
