Question & AnswerQ&A (DENR ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 83)
DENR Administrative Order No. 83, dated November 22, 1990, is an order that lifts the ban on the extraction of sand and gravel, quarrying, and other related surface mining activities along Bued River and Kennon Road, which was initially imposed by DENR Administrative Order No. 03 in 1989.
DENR Administrative Order No. 03, dated January 4, 1989, imposed a ban on the extraction of sand and gravel, quarrying, and other related surface mining activities along Bued River and Kennon Road, especially between KM Post 241 (Camp 7, Baguio City) and KM Post 222 (Camp 3, Tuba, Benguet).
The ban was imposed to regulate and prevent environmental degradation and ensure the safety of the area along Bued River and Kennon Road caused by surface mining activities such as sand and gravel extraction and quarrying.
The July 16, 1990 earthquake and subsequent typhoons caused massive landslides on Kennon Road, depositing huge quantities of rock boulders, sand, and gravel, prompting the lifting of the ban to facilitate clearing and reconstruction.
The lifting of the ban applies only until Kennon Road has been cleared and completely repaired. However, the ban on the barring down of boulders and other quarrying activities remains enforced.
No, while it lifts the ban on the extraction of sand, gravel, and related surface mining activities for clearing and reconstruction purposes, it maintains the ban on boulder barring down and quarrying activities.
The Order explicitly states that it takes effect immediately upon issuance to address urgent reconstruction needs after the earthquake and typhoons.
The ban and its lifting pertain to the area along Bued River and Kennon Road, specifically the stretch between KM Post 241 (Camp 7, Baguio City) and KM Post 222 (Camp 3, Tuba, Benguet).
Because barring down of boulders and quarrying can cause further environmental damage and instability, the Order maintains the ban on these activities to prevent additional harm while allowing limited extraction needed for urgent clearing and reconstruction.