Governor Edgar Chatto on Monday directed the Bohol Environment Management Office (BEMO) to issue an order for mayors to monitor small-scale mining and quarry sites in their respective municipalities.

Chatto issued the directive in the aftermath of the massive landslides that hit Naga, Cebu and Itogon, Benguet in the past week, killing at least 90 people, with dozens still missing.

According to BEMO chief Jovencia Ganub, the local agency will particularly order the inspection at quarry sites for any risk of possible landslides to avoid the same tragedy.

For its part, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources through the Mines and Geosciences Bureau issued a directive suspending quarry operations in eight regions including Central Visayas pending their safety assessment.

However, quarry sites in the province remained operational.

Ganub said that the DENR order was issued on Friday last week but local environment officials have yet to receive a copy of the directive.

She assured the public that mining and quarry operations will immediately be ordered suspended once the directive reaches local environment authorities. (ad)