Manila Bay's 'White Sand' Source Told to Stop, Hold That Dolomite

The source of "white sand" for Manila Bay's beautification, a coastal town in Cebu province, has been shut after Governor Gwnedolyn Garcia stopped mining operations to prevent further damage to the environment, according to an official document.

Garcia issued a "cease and desist" order against Dolomite Mining Corp and Philippine Mining Service Corp. Dolomite Mining sells the sedimentary rocks that are being pulverized by Philippine Mining to blanket a portion of Manila's bay front. CNN Philippines posted a copy of the order on its Twitter page.

A cease and desist order simply means the parties that are subject to it must stop what they are doing, in this case, the processing and sale of crushed dolomite for the Manila Bay beautification.

The local governments of Cebu province and Alcoy municipality were not informed on the use of the dolomite, according to Garcia's order.

"The extraction of dolomite minerals from Alcoy and the consequential damage it will cause the terrestrial environment of Cebu Island violate the Cebuano's constitutional right to a balanced and healthful ecology," it said.

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