Friday, July 25, 2008 RDC opposes Mactan project By Jujemay G. Awit Sun.Star Staff Reporter
THE Central Visayas Regional Development Council (RDC) formally objected to the Mactan reclamation project in a special session yesterday, although officials said they were questioning the process and not necessarily the project itself.
They called on President Arroyo to reconsider her decision approving the Mactan North Reclamation and Development Project (MNRDP), and also cut off a scheduled presentation by Lapu-Lapu City officials on the P10-billion venture.
The RDC said that the Lapu-Lapu City Government should have consulted stakeholders in its “preparation, review and approval.”
Considering its “magnitude and high impact,” the MNRDP should have been taken up in consultations with neighboring local governments and concerned agencies, the RDC said in a resolution.
Thirty-one of the 39 voting members present during the special session called by Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia, RDC 7 chairperson, voted on the resolution.
Only Lapu-Lapu City Administrator Teodulo Ybañez voted against it. Tagbilaran City Mayor Dan Lim abstained, after suggesting that regional planners “talk to the President” rather than approving the resolution.
Confident
In a statement, Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Arturo Radaza said: “We are thankful to the governor for not opposing the implementation of our much-needed MNRDP. We are confident that the project stands on solid legal grounds.”
He was not present during the special session at the Cebu International Convention Center.
“We will continue to address meticulously and cautiously the concerns raised at the RDC,” he added.
The council also asked Arroyo to defer implementation of the project until the City accomplishes the requirements, clearances and public hearings. It asked the Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA) to consider the inputs of the RDC 7 on the matter.
Lapu-Lapu City officials have said no less than President Arroyo approved the project, but Rep. Pablo Garcia (Cebu Province, 2nd district) and his son Rep. Pablo John Garcia (Cebu, 3rd district) continued to call it the “alleged” decision of the President, in the absence of a document that proves the approval was given.
Ybañez said there is such a document signed by Sec. Ricardo Saludo in behalf of the President, which they were not allowed to show.
Interest
The RDC resolution said it has a “special interest” in the reclamation project because of its “possible impact on navigation in the Mactan Channel, which is one of the busiest shipping lines in the country” and its effect on plans to expand the Cebu International Port.
The meeting was scheduled after Ybañez questioned the quorum during the last full council meeting held last July 11.
Another objection surfaced yesterday. National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) 7 Director Marlene Rodriguez read a letter that Ybañez signed, questioning Governor Garcia’s authority to call for the special session.
Rodriguez noted that Ybañez has no authority to object since he is not a member of the RDC. Ybañez explained that he has the authorization as Mayor Radaza’s representative.
RDC infrastructure development committee (IDC) chairman Emmanuel Rabacal, while commending the governor for a “historic event” in the first full council session ever, said that such matters should have been referred to the sectoral committees concerned. In this case, that’s the IDC.
“This is not yet about the MNRDP per se but about the process. The RDC was not respected and accorded its function, especially in a project of this magnitude,” said the governor.
Signs
Ybañez said that his and Lapu-Lapu City Attorney Michael Dignos’ attendance was “a clear sign of respect for the chairperson and the whole RDC.”
Before they could present the project, however, they were blocked.
“We appreciate the preparation of the presentation but it is premature and irrelevant because the RDC resolution does not touch details on the proposed MNRDP,” said Pablo John Garcia.
Dignos said that the Neda 7 gave them the time to “enlighten” the council about the project, but the governor ruled that the presentation could not proceed because the meeting was called to resolve pending motions untouched during the last session.
Mayor Lim, who abstained during the voting, commented that the resolution should not even be taken up at a full council meeting just because of an “oral statement” by the President signifying approval of the project.
“I object to the strongly-worded resolution. Talk to the President rather than pass the resolution,” said Mayor Lim before the voting.
Setback
Immediately after the session, Ybañez told reporters, “We are taking it in stride.”
“It was really, really unfortunate for Marlene (Rodriguez of Neda 7) to just say sorry when we were on the spot, ready to present the agenda of this meeting. For a very,
very critical vote, I believe the RDC should’ve been enlightened on the issue. They deserve a presentation on the project before going into the voting process,” said Ybañez.
He believes the resolution will delay the implementation of the project, which the City hoped to begin next year, after working on the environmental impact study this year.
Both Ybañez and Dignos noted that the PRA was directed as the “sole approver and reviewer” of reclamation projects.
The City and the PRA signed a memorandum of agreement on the MNRDP.
Dignos also explained that a Presidential Management Staff letter directed the PRA to work with Lapu-Lapu City on the MNRDP, without any mention of going to the RDC for approval.
The MNRDC was also listed as one of the priority projects under the Regional Development Investment Plan, in support of the Arroyo administra-tion’s 10-point agenda.
