News and UpdatesIn the NewsDENR halts reclamation

DENR halts reclamation

-

- Advertisment -spot_img

The Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in Region 7 (DENR-7) has ordered the local government here to cease and desist from further undertaking ongoing rehabilitation works at this city’s Rizal Boulevard.

The agency also suspended the Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) it had issued earlier for the project.

The order, dated Sept. 2, 2019 and signed by EMB-7 regional director William P. Cuñado, was received at the City Hall on Tuesday, which prompted Mayor Felipe Antonio Remollo to order the stoppage of “civil works of the rehabilitation and shoreline protection of the Rizal Boulevard” the following day, City Public Information Officer Dems Rey Demecillo said on Thursday.

The EMB-7 order noted that while it had issued the ECC to the Dumaguete local government unit (LGU) last June 18, 2019, one of the requirements was for the proponent to first secure a Notice to Proceed from their office before the actual project implementation.

However, it was further noted that the Dumaguete LGU had already started the rehabilitation project even in the absence of the Notice to Proceed, the order stated.

“Clearly, such act is a blatant violation of the terms and conditions of its ECC, and should be accordingly penalized to serve as a deterrence to others similarly situated that compliance to the terms and conditions of the ECC should be strictly and faithfully observed, or the consequence would be costly,” the order read.

As a result of this violation, the EMB-7 ordered, pursuant to Sec. 9 of Presidential Decree No. 1586, that apart from the ECC suspension and the cease and desist order, the Dumaguete LGU to pay a fine of PHP50,000.

The city government will comply with the requirement to secure a Notice to Proceed, Demecillo said.

Earlier, in a Facebook post, Mayor Remollo was quoted as saying that the order “is one of the several suspensions of Environmental Compliance Certificates or ECC issued to different quarry operations throughout the province of Negros Oriental”.

The mayor “laments that the boulevard project has been singled out, considering that there are reclamation projects, both ongoing and completed, elsewhere in the city and the province undertaken by the Department of Public Works and Highways without ECCs but were spared by the selective EMB order.”

Further, Remollo said that “he is also aware that too much pressure and bullying were employed against DENR officials during the recent congressional hearing of the national budget to stop the project, which is primarily intended to protect the city’s shoreline and coastal barangays from storm surges and flood.”

The estimated 1.7-hectare rehabilitation project of the boulevard, which oppositors including environmentalists say is a “reclamation project”, designed as a venue for sports and recreation, and other national and international events. (Judy F. Partlow/PNA)

br />

(Back to MetroPost HOME PAGE)


 

 

Previous article
Next article

Latest news

City budget is dead  — Dgte Council

    Perdices resigns as Finance Committee chair “The Motion raised by Councilor Baldado for the approval of the 2025 annual...

Comelec to put LGUs  in ‘yellow’ alert

    Majority of the cities and municipalities in Negros Oriental are likely to be placed under ‘yellow’ category for the...

Who wins?

    The City Council’s Friday special session was meant to be about one matter: approving the 2025 annual budget of...

Canlaon completes P12M infra

    despite eruption The local government of Canlaon City turned over this week more than P12 million worth of infrastructure projects...
- Advertisement -spot_imgspot_img

Coop budgets P9M for CSR

    The Perpetual Help Community Cooperative, Inc. has lined up projects this year for its community development program in Negros...

PNP augments force for May polls

    The first batch of augmentation force from the Philippine National Police that will assist in disaster response, and perform...

Must read

City budget is dead  — Dgte Council

    Perdices resigns as Finance Committee chair “The Motion raised by...

Comelec to put LGUs  in ‘yellow’ alert

    Majority of the cities and municipalities in Negros Oriental...
- Advertisement -spot_imgspot_img

You might also likeRELATED
Recommended to you