“Puro quarry na ang negosyo, pumuluyo ang ga sakripisyo.” is a short but piercing comment from Facebook that perfectly captures the irony of our times. We exploit the land, and when disaster comes, it’s the common people who pay the price.
“Tapos mahatag sila relief goods sa mga ginabahaan. HAHAHA funny.”
Ah yes, the modern cycle of “progress.” Dig the earth, flood the people, then post selfies while distributing relief goods. The irony writes itself, and Facebook commentators nailed it with biting sarcasm. Because really, what could be funnier than watching communities drown under the very consequences of “development”?
Recent images shared by concerned citizens show large-scale quarrying in areas like Lonoy and Dinginan, Roxas City, and even extending to Ivisan.
From above, these once-green lands now resemble open wounds. Yet, every time floods strike, like in October 2025 when thousands were affected and one life was lost, we act as if it’s a mystery. “Grabe ang ulan.” “Nature lang ‘na.” Tuod? Or nagakuno-kuno lang ‘ta, kay kita mismo ang nagaguba sini?
Studies show that removing sand, gravel, and rock weakens riverbanks and disturbs natural drainage systems. The riverbeds drop lower, the soil loses grip, and suddenly, even a mild rain becomes a flash flood. Still, we keep extracting because someone needs to build roads, resorts, and subdivisions, right? The rich get their projects done; the poor get their homes washed away.
After the floods, those same people who profited from quarrying rush to donate relief goods, and photo ops included. Bags of noodles and canned sardines, neatly labeled with their smiling faces, as if that can replace a destroyed livelihood. HAHAHA, indeed.
Capiz once suspended quarrying in 2022 for environmental reasons. But clearly, old habits die hard when money’s involved. The land remembers what’s taken from it, and when it rains, it collects. Every sack of sand taken out of a riverbed is a flood waiting for its cue.
So yes, “puro quarry na ang negosyo, pumuluyo ang ga sakripisyo.” The poor always end up paying the price for the rich man’s shovel.
Maybe we should all stop asking “why” and start asking “who.” Because at this rate, even the relief goods will run out before the sarcasm does.
