Wednesday, November 05, 2008 Council urged: Don't release PALC without safety nets By Grace L. Plata
MA-A residents urged the Davao City Council to deny the Preliminary Approval and Location Clearance (PALC) applications of the developers wanting to put up subdivisions in Shrine Hills until they can comply with the safety nets requested by the residents.
It was their turn to present their stand and the presentation, including the discussion after, took the whole morning straight through the lunch hour of Tuesday's regular session.
Citing the instability of the area and threats of more severe flooding, the residents recommended that a comprehensive geological study with a slope stability analysis by an independent third party must be done on Shrine Hills.
"We also recommend that a ground penetrating radar survey be conducted to identify the large cavities in the limestone to determine potential sites for subsidence and collapse," Michelle Cordova, member of the environmental Watch Committee of the Ma-a Federation of Homeowners Association, who presented their stand to the City Council, said.
The residents also want the developers and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), to find ways to direct the water outflow straight to Davao River.
"We reiterate that even if Datu Loho Creek can be improved, it still would not solve the problem of back flow in Davao River," Cordova said.
"There is also a need to review and re-design the entire drainage system in Ma-a. Considering the sloping terrain of the Hills, the services of a hydrologist may be required to study the springs along Shrine Hills, the volume of water which may be expected from the rising subdivisions and the present mitigating measures to solve flooding in Ma-a," she added.
Most of the councilors agreed with the third party study but City Planning Development Officer (CPDO) Mario Luis Jacinto, who was also present Tuesday, said this could prove difficult as the party would have no accountability should hazardous incidents happen due to their findings or recommendations.
Councilor Peter Laviña, vice-chair of the committee on housing, said he will move for the voting next week if other Council members do not have any more queries.
Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, meanwhile, said that he will base his decision on the geo-hazard study as well as the PALC application on the recommendations of Jacinto.
Jacinto was once a regional director of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) before he joined City Hall.
"It is not clear to us if there is really danger. I will consult Jacinto as I am not a technical man. If sinabi ni Jacinto na okay, 'yun and susundin ko. And thus we bind ourselves to whatever happens in the future," Duterte said.
