THE Provincial Government of Negros Occidental expressed support for the project declogging and clearing of waterways to solve the flooding problem of E.B. Magalona.
Lawyer Rayfrando Diaz, provincial administrator, said the project is spearheaded by the four national government agencies which is Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), and Department of Transportation (DOTr).”
Diaz said they already released a department administrative order that mandated the provincial government to undertake the projects so that the occurrence of floods will be mitigated.
“During the rainy season, flood waters could not go out because of sandbars that trap the water between the inland and the sea. This is common all over the world even in the United States. These are the materials that the national government wants to take out,” Diaz said.
During the past administrations, he said the provincial government purchased dredging machines which were hard to maintain and sustain.
Dredging projects are too expensive for local government units to undertake, he pointed out.
Diaz also said that the project is at no cost to the municipal and national government except that the materials that will be dredged will be brought to reclamation project in other areas.
He said that other mayors of coastal LGUs in Negros Occidental have expressed interest because they have similar problem also.
The Provincial Government will also support them, he said.
As to the claims of environmentalists that the project is a front for black sand mining, Diaz said that if you read the DAO issued by Environment Sec. Roy Cimatu, there is no mention of the extraction of black sand. “No hazardous waste or chemical compound will be done associated with mining,” he added.
Diaz further explained that the Capitol will also enact an ordinance that will regulate the issuance of extraction permits.
“Under the proposed measure the Capitol will charge P2.50 per cubic meter and transport permit of these waste material at P2.50 per cubic meter. There is also a also a monitoring fee pegged at five percent of their gross income,” Diaz said.
He also confirmed that there will also be a sharing from the five percent monitoring fee among the province, municipal and barangays level.
The provincial government will strictly monitor the dredging plan approved by the DPWH.
“It is the DPWH who will give the parameters of the project,” he added.
Once the monitoring team reports to Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson that there is a violation a stoppage order will be issued, Diaz further assured.
Mayor Marvin Malacon identifed the barangays where flooding problems have been occurring as Latasan, Tuburan, Tomongtong, Gahit, Madalag, Mantaangan, Batya, Alicante and Pasil.
Malacon said the dredging of the clogged rivers is urgently needed to give a long-term solution to flooding and restore marine life that has been affected by heavy siltation. (TDE)