DENR, Argao close to settling row over farm-to-market road project
Argao mayor Edsel Galeos, DENR-7 Executive director Esabelo Montejo, Governor Hilario Davide III, Cordova Mayor Adelino Sitoy and Tuburan mayor Aljur Diamante (partly hidden left) prepare to leave the conference room after their close door meeting at the governors conference room.(CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA)
THE Argao municipal government and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) are inching closer towards resolving the dispute between them that stalled the implementation of a farm-to-market road project in the town.
Argao Mayor Edsel Galeos and DENR Regional Executive Director Isabel Montejo met during a closed-door meeting at the governor’s office to work out their differences on the road project.
“We are finding a way to move on and take the necessary action because we have different mandates. There was just miscommunication on both our camps so hopefully, we can end this so that the municipality will be happy,” he said.
With them were Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III, who called for the meeting, Tuburan Mayor Democrito Diamante, Cordova Mayor Adelino Sitoy and Consolacion Mayor Teresa Alegado.
The two-kilometer long farm-to-market road was 50 percent completed when the DENR’s stoppage order was issued by the town’s Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (Cenro) last March 21.
Timberland area
The Argao CENRO said the municipal government cannot continue the road project since it falls within a timberland area and DENR’s National Greening Program (NGP) plantation in sitio Binalabag, barangay Jampang.
The municipal government asked the court to lift the cease and desist order (CDO).
But Regional Trial Court (RTC) Judge Maximo Perez said the DENR was only enforcing an environmental law.
Perez said only the Supreme Court can issue a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) to lift the CDO.
Galeos is also facing a complaint filed by the DENR before the Visayas Ombudsman for the alleged illegal destruction of trees in violation of the Forestry Reform Code or Presidential Decree 705.
Economic use
Montejo said one way to solve the dispute is for DENR-7 to establish the town’s Forest Land Use Plan (FLUP) and identify protected forest areas and those for economic use.
Montejo said DENR-7 plans to enter into a joint memorandum of agreement (MOA) to implement the FLUP in two weeks time.
He said the area covered by the road project could be reclassified as a “production forest” or those viable for economic projects and activity.
“As for now, our FLUP in Argao is subject for final review. When DENR makes the final corrections, we will be signing the joint implementation,” Montejo said.
Diamante said the meeting yielded “positive” result from both camps.
Diamante, also president of the League of Municipalities in the Philippines (LMP) Cebu Chapter, said there is no point in quarreling when the two agencies have the “same purpose of serving the people.
“There was no communication between them (Montejo and Galeos) until it came to the point that cases were filed. After the meeting, I think their problem will be settled,” Diamante said.
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