Friday, May 09, 2008 Capitol to raise reclamation issue to Malacañang
LAPU-LAPU City should not hide under the skirt of the President on the issue of the Mactan North Reclamation and Development Project, a Capitol consultant said.
If only the City Government followed procedures, there would not have been objections from development planners and government agencies, said Capitol consultant on information and revenue generation Rory Jon Sepulveda.
Lapu-Lapu City Attorney Joseph Vincent Lim earlier said local officials can no longer question the implementation of the P10-billion reclamation project because it already had the approval of President Arroyo.
“They shouldn’t hide under the President’s skirt if they just explain to the people what the reclamation is really about,” said Sepulveda.
Capitol will bring to Malacañang its opposition to the project.
The Provincial Government believes it has personality to intervene in the matter because the reclamation is directly across the waters of Mandaue City and Liloan town, which are part of the Province.
But Mandaue City, Liloan and the Province were not informed of the project.
Complained
Even the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) 7 complained that they were not given a copy of the project proposal and other agencies such as the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources were not consulted.
Neda 7 Director Marlene Rodriguez feared that the project would affect activities at the Mactan Channel considering that the project site is near.
The 400-hectare reclamation will form a small islet covering the offshore land of adjacent Barangays Ibo, Buaya, Mactan and Punta Engano. Three bridges will connect the islet to the mainland.
Development groups
Other development groups were also against the project, like the Mactan-Cebu Bridge Management Board (MCBMB) and the Mactan Cebu International Airport Authority (MICAA).
Sepulveda, also MCIAA legal consultant, echoed Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia’s concern that the reclamation would impede MCIAA’s plan for an expansion.
Expand
“I’m quite sure MCIAA is concerned. The airport needs to expand and there is no more area, the area (affected by the reclamation) is connected to the airport,” explained Sepulveda.
The MCIAA needs a second runway.
But the airport expansion also entails reclamation.
Sepulveda would rather not comment on Neda’s concern as he can only speak for MCIAA and the Provincial Government.
“The Governor is concerned about ecology and environment of Mactan Channel. As board member of MCIAA the opposition is because of future expansions, and as a Cebuano, because it was done in haste without consultations. Other municipal waters are also affected that is part of the Province,” Sepulveda said.
“We will be raising our opposition for the President to take a look at it, maybe revisit the decision, maybe she wasn’t properly informed,” continued Sepul-veda.
The Mactan Chamber of Commerce and Industry is also reportedly against the project because it will be an additional burden for Lapu-Lapu. (JGA)
