The Sagip Cogon, a concerned group, has urged President Rodrigo Duterte for the rehabilitation of Coron Bay and to stop what they call an illegal reclamation project while addressing the serious ecological damage that they blamed on the project’s implementation.
They criticized the provincial government of Palawan and its contractor for the environmental damage caused by the 51-hectare Coron Bay Development Project (CBDP). The group says the irony is the project lack the necessary permits and documents.
Sagip Coron lamented that even the municipal government of Coron was not included in the joint venture between the provincial government and its contractor, therefore, they said that the LGU was left out of this project that directly affects and impacts the locality.
Sometime last March 2022, the group had a meeting with President Duterte. The meeting was fruitful since it resulted in the formation of a task force to assess the area. The Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA) also issued a cease and desist order addressed to Palawan provincial government until conditions set by PRA are complied with. The Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) also canceled the Environmental Compliance Certification (ECC) that it issued to the project.
The CDO was issued by PRA General Manager Atty. Janilo E. Rubiato ordered the Palawan provincial government to “immediately cease and desist from further undertaking reclamation activities until all government requirements and conditions have been fully complied with, including but not limited to the conditions of the Notice to Proceed issued by the PRA, foremost of which is the requirement of an Area Clearance from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.”
It appeared that the project has started 15 years ago yet some basic prerequisite requirements are absent with its implementers apparently bypassing the procedures.
Limited land
Atty. Christian Cojamco, Provincial Information Officer in an ANC interview, said that the project started as early as 2007 before the current provincial government administration led by Governor Jose Ch. Alvarez assumed in 2013. In 2007, only three hectares were applied for an Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) from the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB), and two years later or in 2009, an ECC was applied for another 48 hectares. In 2012, the project was suspended by the provincial government headed by then Governor Baham Mitra due to a lack of funds.
He explained that Coron’s land area is very limited for commercial and residential expansion, and the provincial government does not want to destroy the forestland. He explained that if the commercial and residential areas will expand and encroach on the forest, it will result in the destruction of the timberland areas in Coron.
“It’s better to reclaim land in the bay of Coron,” he said.
He explained that proper consultations were conducted before the current provincial administration started the project sometime in 2018.
In an effort to avoid expansion in timberland areas surrounding the town of Coron, expanding through reclamation to accommodate the development has been considered as an option.
“In every development, there is a sacrifice,” Atty. Cojamco explained.
He said that the reclamation project will support Coron’s tourism industry and local economy and that commercial spaces will be put up in the reclamation area.
Environmental destruction
The action from the national government to stop the project may be a victory for Sagip Coron and those who campaigned to protect Coron bay and its natural environment, but it already caused irreparable damage to the environment and marine resources.
The biophysical assessment of the damage to marine habitats due to the Coron Bay Reclamation Project showed that 27% percent of corals in the impacted area are now dead while others are slowly dying.
The dwindling fish catch in the area was also blamed for the project.
Atty. Julito Sarge Sarmiento, legal counsel of Save Coron, said that a marine scientist estimates damage at P500 million per year, and the destruction of the marine resources in Coron bay is a silky, murky, and a horror story under the sea.
“The cost of the damage is P500-million per year, and that’s perpetual. Ang mga mangingisda instead na malapit lang sila sa coast mangisda, malayo na sila,” he said.
Marion Raagas, convenor of Sagip Coron, alleged that the project was pushed by “powerful politician and greedy businessman.”
Bob Magallanes of Sagip Coron said that the area used to be a docking port, but now it is already covered by dirt and soil to pave way for shopping centers and other development.
“Maraming tumatawag sa akin tungkol dyan. I was born and raised in Coron but I am staying now in Manila. Ang sabi nila ba’t ginigiba na ang mga bundok dito?” said in an ANC interview.
Magallanes explained that he started campaigning to save Coron in December 2021, after he saw the pathetic state of the environment in their town. He alleged that the provincial government and its contractors continued the reclamation project during the pandemic.
“Pinagsamantalahan nila na during the pandemic na walang tao sa labas, dump sila ng dump. Ang mga fishermen totally wala na sila doon, yung fishing nila wala na doon, mga corals, mangroves wala na. marami silang sinira sa dagat,” he lamented.
Last April 22, 2022, during the celebration of the Earth Day, Sagip Coron initiated a tree planting activity to restore parts of a mangrove forest that were already cleared due to the reclamation, along with other valuable marine and coastal resources that used to thrive in the area, before it was gone. Various groups and volunteers participated in the activity including local residents, farmers, and indigenous peoples, among others.
Existing laws provide safeguards
The Presidential Decree 1586, establishing an environmental impact statement system including other environmental management-related measures and for other purposes, enacted during the 1970s could have saved further destruction, if it is properly followed and implemented. PD 1586 stressed the urgent need to formulate an intensive, integrated program of environmental protection through Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) requires all agencies and instrumentalities of the government even private companies and firms an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for every action, project, or undertaking which significantly affects the environment, including reclamation project in Coron.
Projects like this definitely require an Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) that outlines the commitment of the proponents needed for the project, to strictly comply with existing environmental regulations, and to operate within the best environmental practice that is not currently covered by the existing laws. Reflected in the ECC are the scope of the project, conditions conformed by the proponents to implement mitigating measures for potentially negative impacts and enhancement measures for potentially positive impacts, and the recommendations to monitoring entities.
These existing laws like this do not guarantee to safeguard the environment of Coron, considering that as it appeared now, the ongoing project was not periodically monitored by a duly constituted body or monitoring body tasked to assess and check the area.
Admission of lapses
DENR Undersecretary Jonas Leones himself has admitted that there have been lapses on their part.
“Nakikita nga rin namin yan na may kaunting lax yun on the part kasi dapat nakikita ng [Provincial Environment and Natural Resources] yung progress ng kanilang gawain doon pero ang sa amin naman kasi once we issued the ECC, dapat faithfully kino-comply ng proponent yun. Ngayon… kaya nga lang although it is hard to admit, nagkulang tayo sa pagtingin doon,” he said in an interview.
He said that their agency now conducted an assessment of the environmental damage caused by the project.
He also said that the DENR will not hesitate to file appropriate charges against the Palawan provincial government and individuals involved in the project.
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