• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The Silay City Council disapproved the request of the Negros Occidental provincial government to grant a Resolution of No Objection (RONO) to the proposed bulk water supply project located at the Hinalinan River/Imbang River in Barangay Guimbalaon.
In a resolution unanimously passed during the regular session on Feb. 9, it cited strong opposition from stakeholders, its environmental impact, insufficient clarity on project implementation, and lack of inter-agency technical alignment.
However, it clarified that the disapproval of the requested RONO is without prejudice to the application of a similar request for other river systems within the jurisdiction of Silay.
“We respect their decision, we will abide by it,” Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said on Wednesday, Feb. 18. “We will just outright stop the project, as far as the source of water is concerned, which is the Hinalinan River/Imbang River”.
“No hard feelings, maybe they feel that it will be to their disadvantage. We will respect that,” Lacson said.
The Hinalinan River/Imbang River has been chosen as the venue for the project upon the recommendation of the consultants engaged by the Asian Development Bank and United States Agency for International Development, according to the provincial government.
Vice Mayor Thomas Maynard Ledesma said that Mayor Joedith Gallego is open to a different location, especially the Malogo River, which is both shared by Silay City and E.B. Magalona.
As to the suggestion of Gallego, Lacson said they will sit down and discuss it.
He added they are also entertaining the idea of continuing the project in a “smaller scale”. | GB
