THE Cebu City Environmental and Natural Resources Office (Cenro) considered the painting of the rocks surrounding the Lusaran Dam in Barangay Lusaran as vandalism.
Lusaran Barangay Captain Agustin Partulan said in a phone interview on Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2024, that a councilor, who he did not name, suggested that paint could be applied to the rocks around the dam since many people go there to have fun swimming.
“Nindot lagi, pero napatawag man mi sa DENR (Department of Environment and Natural Resources) ana,” said Partulan. (It’s nice, but our attention were called by the DENR.)
He added that he would immediately order paint removal by using paint thinner.
But Cenro head Reymarr Hijara stressed that paint thinner cannot be used to remove the paint.
“Madaot ang tubig ana and mangamatay mga organism (the water will be contaminated and organisms will die),” said Hijara.
Instead of paint thinner, Hijara said they can scrape or pressure wash the paint.
SunStar Cebu reached out to Jose Daluz, chairman of the Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD), and JE Hydro, MCWD water supplier, to ask how the paint will affect the quality of the water, but both have not responded as of press time.
Meanwhile, City Councilor Joel Garganera said in a text message on Wednesday that the Lusaran Dam paint did not jive with nature.
Garganera, who chairs the committee on environment and is an advocate of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ), said that he had talked with the barangay councilor concerned already, who promised him to remove the paint within the following days.
“May this serve as a reminder to us all that we should not alter the natural beauty of nature. More power to LGBTQ,” Garganera said.
However, Partulan clarified that the paint has nothing to do with LGBTQ advocacy.
On Sunday, Aug. 11, local photographer Mark Linel Padecio posted on social media “before and after” photos of the Lusaran Dam. The “after” photo showed that the rocks were painted with bright and vibrant colors.
“Not sure the real reason behind, but to my own opinion, upon looking this new image, it seems it’s a notion of promoting Pride/LGBTQ or could be a way of art from those who initiated the certain act,” wrote Padecio.
“But sometimes we have to consider that nature has its own way of giving art that we have to respect,” he added. / JPS