Friday, September 29, 2006 City’s shipbuilding task force to check Mactan Channel today
A CITY Hall task force that monitors shipbuilding, repair and scrapping activities in Mandaue City will cross the Mactan Channel today to check if they are done along the city’s shoreline.
“We are doing this to protect the environmental integrity of the area to complement the projected land use development of the area,” City Administrator Serafin Blanco said.
The City passed an ordinance this year banning all forms of ship breaking and ship scrapping activities. An ordinance that regulates shipbuilding and repair was also approved.
Mayor Thadeo Ouano issued Executive Order No. 13 dated May 3, 2006 creating a task force that will recommend policies and guidelines to ensure the enforcement of the two ordinances and the imposition of penalties.
schedule
He also directed the City Treasurer’s Office to prepare and recommend a schedule of permit and clearance fees for shipbuilding and repair activities in the city.
Ouano will act as chairman of the task force, with Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) 7 Director Glenn Cabanes as co-chairman.
Blanco said that if the task force finds out today that there are ship breaking and scrapping activities in the area, the City will issue a cease and desist order against the operators.
Under Ordinance 10-2006-354, operators working on ship breaking and scrapping activities are given 90 days to terminate their operations.
As for shipbuilding and repair activities, Blanco said their operators will be asked to prepare and submit the necessary permits and clearances.
Ordinance 10-2006-359 provides that a city clearance, an affidavit of undertaking and other permits and clearances from concerned local and national government agencies are required before building and repair of boats could be undertaken.
Councilor Carlo Fortuna, who authored the ordinances, said ship breaking and scrapping activities are banned because of its hazardous and toxic effects to marine life.
He said these activities are done while the damaged ships are anchored off the sea, with the hazardous chemicals like paint, adhesive or oil being discharged directly to the seawater.
inventory
Blanco said the task force would also conduct an inventory of the firms that are engaged in ship building, repair, breaking and scrapping activities along the city’s shoreline facing the Mactan Channel.
He said it will be better if the City could designate a specific area in Mandaue where these activities will be confined to.
City Councilor Procopio Villanueva, along with the officials of Marina and the Cebu Ports Authority, will be joining today’s inspection. (ROV)
