NEGROS Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson on Friday, February 5, 2021, said the dredging of heavily silted rivers in EB Magalona that cause flooding in the town and other neighboring local government units may start soon and will be undertaken by a private firm at no cost to the province.
Lacson, who presided over the inter-agency committee meeting Friday at the Provincial Capitol, said the provincial government is not spending any amount for the dredging operations of First Terradev Corp. in EB Magalona as soon as they comply with all the permits required.
Up for declogging and desiltation in EB Magalona are the rivers of Malogo, Imbang and Madalag.
The tapping of the private firm by the local government unit of EB Magalona in the dredging of its heavily silted rivers was an offshoot of the joint memorandum circular no. 2019-01 of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Department of the Interior and Local Government and Department of Transportation, which is rationalizing dredging activities in heavily silted river channels.
This is an offer from the national government, through a department administrative order, and passed on to the local government unit, which tapped a private group to do the dredging, Lacson said.
First TerraDev Corporation is the company that will conduct the dredging activities, Lacson said.
"Obviously, we cannot afford massive dredging," he said.
Lacson said it will be the provincial government of Negros Occidental that will issue a permit for the private firm to start dredging operations, in concurrence with the Sangguniang Panlalawigan.
The private firm must also have a valid Memorandum of Agreement with DENR-Western Visayas, he also said.
During the inter-agency meeting, which was also attended by Livino Duran, assistant regional director of DENR in Western Visayas, Lacson said it was proposed that the Malogo River will be the first to be dredged.
Mayor Marvin Malacon earlier said the proposed dredging operations got the support of town officials and residents, as a result of the public hearing held late last year.
While the LGUs will not shell out any amount for the dredging operations, Lacson said there is also a commercial value to it for the private group, as he also clarified that it is not black sand mining contrary to claims.
He added they were also told that the private group does not have any market yet on what they can extract from the dredging operations.
Lacson also requires the DPWH to present the master plan of the dredging operations in EB Magalona at their next meeting.