ABOUT 275 structures located within the foreshore and easement zone in the coastal area of Badian town are being sought for demolition by an environmental non-government organization (NGO) yesterday.
“Most are residential houses and there were some resorts as well who violated the 20 meter easement,” said Steve Larona, legal assistant of the Tañon Strait Protected Seascape (TSPS).
During the group’d presentation of their inventory result in their Badian Office last Friday, Larona said they will submit a copy of their inventory to the Badian municipal government for resolution.
Under the Water Code of the Philippines, an easement zone on a beach is defined as 20 meters from the point reached by high tide for towns. For cities a three-meter easement should be observed.
The Tañon Strait is considered as the largest protected seascape in the Philippines with a total area of 518,221 hectares.
Am Prospero Lendio, Asst. Protected Area Supervisor of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources regional office (DENR-7), the strait is considered a marine highway for 14 species of cetaceans like sperm whales and dolphins.
Surrounded by 298 barangays of 35 towns and one city in Cebu, Negros Oriental and Negros Occidental, Tañon Strait is described as the richest concentration of marine life in Southeast Asia.
Aside from conducting geo-tagging to resorts and other businesses, Lendio said the DENR-7 is also implementing biophysical inventory of mangroves, seagrass and corals.
Lendio said a biophysical inventory is ongoing which they target to complete in September this year.