Saturday, February 24, 2007
Residents oppose proposed cement plant
RESIDENTS of Sibonga, Cebu have expressed their opposition to the planned establishment of a cement factory in barangay Sabang.
According to the fact sheet that the United Sibonga Residents for Environmental Protection and Development (USREPD) sent to Sun.Star Cebu, the firm that will put up the factory is owned by Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Frank Benedicto.
The group fears that the construction of the factory may lead to the destruction of the natural resources of the town and affect the health of the residents.
Benedicto could not be reached for comment yesterday.
Pressure
The group said they received report that there is “pressure” on the Provincial Board (PB) to reclassify the proposed site of the factory from agri-residential to an industrial area to give way to the project.
Although he has not heard of the reported pressure on the PB, Sibonga Mayor Nestor Ponce assured residents he will carefully study the proposal and will not railroad the approval of the project.
The group USREPD also sent a letter to Ponce requesting him and the municipal council to “treat this project proposal with much caution and defer any endorsement on its social acceptability until our people are fully afforded information on the negative consequences of having a cement plant in our midst.”
Ponce said he welcomes investors to his town but he had warned the investors that several years back, a company also wanted to put up a cement factory in the town but did not succeed because of the opposition of the residents. (MBG)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (February 24, 2007 issue)
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