TOWN’S OUTCRY HEARD
DPWH to suspend coastal reclamation but Ili Rock excavation will go on
Boljoon Mayor Merlou Derama points to the site where the DPWH will transfer its P43.9 million reclamation budget to rehabilitate the town’s municipal park since fishermen are angry about boulders being dumped in the beach where their boats land. (CDN PHOTO/ TONEE DESPOJO)
Fishermen in Boljoon town were relieved yesterday to hear an engineer of the Dept. of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) announce that reclamation work affecting their coastal village in Talisay would stop immediately.
But the excavation of Ili Rock, the town’s famous limestone mountain, will continue.
In yesterday’s public forum in the sports complex of Boljoon, 103 kilometers south of Cebu City, Engr. Jame Dellosa of the 4th engineering district of DPWH, said his office would stop dumping boulders and reclaiming the white sand beach in the Poblacion near the Patrocinio de Maria church since many residents oppose it.
Delloso said DPWH can instead transfer the P43.9 million project and instead rehabilitate the damaged plaza of Boljoon behind the municipal hall and the barangay hall.
About 300 residents showed up to listen to the DPWH explain why payloaders and other heavy equipment have been excavating Ili Rock since October and dumping boulders in the beachfront, obstructing the access of small fishing boats and damaging the mountain, an official heritage site of Boljoon.
“Palihug ayaw ipugos ang inyong gusto para sa amo sa amo-a.”
(Please don’t impose your plans on us.)
This was the angry retort of a lawyer and resident of Boljoon, Edmund Villanueva when DPWH officials threatened to take back the P43.9 million reclamation project if the residents “don’t care about development”.
A second P45.26 million project for “slope benching” the face of Ili Rock to reduce the risk of landslides has also upset residents and heritage advocates.
“We Boljoanons care about our environment and heritage. We are content with our small land area, and our white sand beachfront. Don’t compare us to other towns who already have reclamation areas because they are not a candidate for Unesco’s World Heritage Site. We are content to have our cultural treasure. We don’t intend to compete with the rest of the towns who have reclamation projects,” said Villanueva.
He showed his disgust after DPWH Engr. Marlon Marollano told residents they were at a disadvantage because other towns had reclamation projects.
“Gusto ba mo na dili nalang ni nato i-implement ang project na para unta ni sa inyong protection. Kung tan-awon ninyo sa taas sa Ili Rock, makakita mo unsa kagamay Boljoon. Ang uban na lungsod dagko na kaayo sila og property kay nag reclamation man sila. Kamo? Ganahan mo na kuhaon nalang ni nato ang budget para sa inyo,” Marollano said.
(Do you want us to stop implementing a project that is for your protection? From the height of Ili Rock, you can see how small Boljoon town is. Other towns have bigger property because they have a reclamation area. How about you? Do you want us to take back the budget that’s intended for you?)
The statement provoked some residents to speak up, including Villanueva, who said DPWH shouldn’t try to “scare” Boljoon residents about losing a mutli-million-peso project.
He said he didn’t care if the DPWH gets the money.
Lawyer Edmund Villanueva serve final demand letter to Cebu DPWH officials and QM Builders to stop the projects in Boljoon. (CDN PHOTO/ TONEE DESPOJO)
“Ayaw intawn ipatoo sa mga taw na ang inyong gibuhat mao na gyud ang sakto. Wala mi makigtigi sa ubang lungsod. Giguba ninyo ang among kalikupan, mao ba na ang inyong concepto sa sustainable development,” Villanueva said.
(Don’t mislead people to think that what you’re doing is right. We are not competing with other towns. You have destroyed the environment. You have no concept of sustainable development.)
Villanueva served a copy of a final demand letter to Dellosa and QM Builders, warning them of legal action if they don’t stop earth-moving work in Ili Rock and the reclamation project below it.
The demand letter also identified William Cuñado of the Environmental Management Bureau as a possible respondent.
Villanueva said excavation of the Ili Rock should be stopped until experts are consulted from Phivolcs, geologists, and other resource persons on options to reduce the risk of landslides.
Engr. Dellosa said he agreed on condition that Villanueva put this in writing in behalf of Bojoon residents so the DPWH won’t be held liable in case another landslide occurs. Villanueva agreed to this.
Engr. Marollano said yesterday’s forum was a “dialog, not a consultation”’ by the DPWH to hear the residents’ concerns about the two projects.
Last week the Boljoon municipal council filed a resolution urging DPWH to immediately stop work in the project pending a public hearing.
A group of local fishermen and residents filed their own protest against the project citing lack of public consultation, the damage to the heritage value of Ili Rock, and damage to the marine environment with the reclamation work which will dump 25,000 cubic meters of filling materials in the sea.
Boulders and rocks are being dumped in the white sand beach fronting the 18th century Patrocinio de Maria Church.
During the forum, DPWH representatives said they had no time to call everyone to discuss the projects with residents beforehand since they already informed Mayor Merlou Derama about it.
BULLDOZE FIRST, ASK LATER. About 300 Boljoon town residents attend a public forum to hear why DPWH started excavation and reclamation work in the poblacion two months ago.
(CDN PHOTO/TONEE DESPOJO)
“Ang pag-istorya nami ni mayor, mao nato ang public consultation because the mayor represents all of you,” Marollano said. The mayor was present in the forum.
Engr. Dellosa later admitted that the DPWH had a lapse in implementing the project without public consultation and proceeding with reclamation without an Environmental Certificate Compliance from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
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