Pebble Picking Areas in Luna Explored
By: Camille R. Bumatay, PIO and Diana E. Jutba, GPC-ENRO | Photos By: Sonny Buenaventura, PIO | Date: May 10, 2021
In the continuous promotion of the Provincial Government of La Union campaign #KalikasanNaman, Gov. Francisco Emmanuel “Pacoy” R. Ortega III participated in the virtual presentation meeting of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Mines and Geosciences Bureau Region 1 of the result of their Geologic Study on Pebble Picking Areas in Luna, La Union on May 10, 2021.
The study covered coastal areas of Barangays Nalvo Norte, Barrientos, Magallanes, Victoria, Sto. Domingo Sur and Sto. Domingo Norte. Presented in the results were the status of replenishment of pebble beach deposits considering that the town is most known for its stone-picking industry aside from the natural geological processes depleting the natural resource.
Results of the study showed that pebble beach deposits in Luna is being depleted due to coastal erosion and illegal activities such as quarrying and mechanized extraction. Thus, the recommendation is for the local government unit of Luna, Mines and Geosciences Bureau and Provincial Government - Environment and Natural Resources Office to strictly monitor these activities. If observed that a violations are committed, a moratorium will be recommended.
In his message, Gov. Pacoy expressed his gratitude to the proponents of the study and said, “While we have been resolute in monitoring and apprehending illegal extraction of the said resources, there are other causes of its depletion if no intervention is done. The conduct of a geological investigation on the field status and rate of replenishment of these resources is truly urgent and important.”
Amidst the province's fight against the CoViD-19 Pandemic, it remains committed in its various environmental management efforts towards building a Stronger La Union, a province worth living in.
