The City Environment and Natural Resources Officer of Puerto Princesa proposed that government agencies come up with a protocol in a bid to safeguard forest and environmentally-critical areas in the city from any infrastructure projects.
Atty. Carlo B. Gomez said during a technical conference presided by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) recently that some national government-funded infrastructure projects ironically traversed the city’s remaining forest and environmentally critical areas known as “core zones” causing destruction to the natural environment, the forest ecosystem and wildlife’s habitat.
The core zone is the area of maximum protection and shall be free of human disruption. This includes all types of natural forest.
Republic Act 7611 also known as the Strategic Environmental Plan (SEP) for Palawan put into effect a graded system of protection and development control in the province of Palawan. The law identified Environmentally Critical Area Network (ECAN) as its main strategy. RA 7611 is a landmark legislation unique in Palawan, effecting a sustained agenda that provides for the continued existence of a unique ecological system not found in any parts of the country.
He emphasized that a protocol and clear-cut procedure be established and agreed upon by various government agencies in adherence to transparency and good governance.
It would be ideal that these nationally-funded projects will be submitted to DENR Secretary Roy Cimatu, National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) and other cabinet secretaries of the national government agencies for higher level discussions.
With established protocol in place, it will facilitate local-level consultation, set well-defined policies and procedures prior to the implementation of nationally-funded infrastructure projects, and not bypassing the city and the barangay concerned, therefore avoiding any problems and conflict that might arise during the course of its implementation. The protocol will also harmonize plans and avoid conflicts among national agencies that might arise.
He added that the road-opening and box culvert project in Talaudyong, Barangay Bacungan was funded by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) through former Congressman Gil Acosta Sr. The project site is an uninhabited area with only very few individuals settling in the place.
“Sana ay makapag come up tayo ng protocol dito to get everybody involved. Minsan hindi talaga tayo nakonsulta, hindi na-involved. Kadalasan nabubulaga nalang tayo na nandito na yung project. Ito ba ay kaugalian ng DPWH na mag approve ng kontrata out of taxpayers’ money para mag-gawa ng kalsada to benefit only very few private individuals? Taxpayers’ money na igagawa lang natin ng kalsada para sa mga mayayaman, napakasakit naman kasi pera natin yun,” Atty. Gomez asked.
DPWH and its contractor E.R. Lustre Jr. Construction failed to secure the necessary pre-requisite requirements. These documents include the Strategic Environmental Plan (SEP) Clearance from the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development (PCSD), Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) from the DENR-Environmental Management Bureau, Tree Cutting Permit from DENR, Endorsement from the various departments of the City Government of Puerto Princesa and other equally important pre-requisite documents that need to be secured by them.
Gomez presented his proposal during the technical conference presided by DENR- Community Environment and Natural Resources Officer (CENRO) Felizardo Cayatoc investigating the project that caused massive destruction to the trees and the natural environment, and it encroached up to more than 700-meter portion of the forested area leading to a white sand beach that appears to be resort of a private person.
He said that City Mayor Lucilo R. Bayron instructed him to take appropriate actions and file necessary complaints against those who are involved.
“Ang instruction sa akin ni Mayor (Bayron) is to file the necessary complaints to all those involved kung sino man yung mga liable dito. Nag exert ng effort ang City Planning para hindi magalaw ang core zone pero itinuloy pa rin. Dun nagalit si Mayor na hindi sya sinunod. Kung may pondo, sana ay nai-divert na lang sa ibang area, hindi yung ini insist doon na nag-cause pa ng violations,” Gomez explained.
Engr. Jovenee C. Sagun, head of the City Planning and Development Department, who was also present during the technical conference said that three years ago during a meeting of the Regional Development Council (RDC), she already informed different government agencies including the DPWH that the city government cannot allow the opening of the road in the core zone, since these are the city’s remaining forests that they need to protect and conserve.
“Unang-una may SEP law kami, dapat meron yang SEP clearance. Kasi it is not a mere road concreting na open na, ito ay mag-oopen ka ng isang forest at alam natin kung ano ang consequences nyan. Pag inopen mo yan ang kasunod nyan ay bakod at underbrushing. And we cannot allow that. Ito na lang yung mga remaining forest ng Puerto Princesa na pino-protect namin,” she said.
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