PART of the governor’s development agenda, expanding trade and industry on one side, and eco-tourism and fortifying the environment on the other can become contradictions without a leader’s balancing act. This is the reason governor Aris Aumentado met with the DENR-Bohol officials to discuss quarry operations last August 12, 2022.
Quarrying refers to the business, occupation, or act of extracting useful material (such as building stone) from quarries (Merriam Webster online dictionary).
Having a BS Business Administration degree from the University of San Carlos, the governor knows how quarrying can hamper Bohol’s value proposition or what makes the province best suited for Boholanos and tourists.
Improving our business climate cannot justify the unhampered exploitation of our natural habitat that results in landslides and eyesores. Especially that here in Bohol, tourism is our primary emphasis.
It is like the idea of selling specialized products. One cannot sell Gucci or Louis Vuitton designer clothing in discount stores. As tourists get excited fiddling a violin near turquoise beaches, we sell such experience like branded clothing. We cannot afford to package such experience in a “discount store” or a milieu that disputes what we offer.
Tourism depends on our clean natural habitat. It relies on pleasant and refreshing environments – revenue drivers of the industry. If profit-making activities take away our main ecological capital, we compromise our chief industry. Clearly, we cannot justify giving many permits to quarry investors.
And the governor plans to put a limit to quarry operations. He also fights against illegal quarrying. He fights them more vigorously.
We do not just deal with losing our strategic advantage using our natural ecology. We also talk about the aftermath. Don’t you know it destroys the aesthetic value of our mountains? Don’t you know it causes flooding of downstream areas, siltation, pollution, and soil erosion?
We already suffered from several natural calamities in our country. Recovering from typhoon Odette, we do not want to add more man-made disasters.
Governor Aris knows how to maintain our province’s brand: the reason he holds in check quarrying operations. He also avoids the consequences of ignoring our natural ecology.
