COUNCILOR CARLOS JOSE V. LOPEZ Chairman Committee on Environment and Ecology
Dear Chairman Lopez,
It is with concern that I am writing to you considering the most recent events that have transpired in the City of Bacolod pertaining to the indiscriminate and wanton destruction and degradation of our natural resources under your watch as the Chair of the Committee on Environment and Ecology.
Two of the most recent events were the cutting of decades-old trees along the national highway in front of the old airport and the illegal cutting of mangroves and the reclamation of Sum-ag River. As chairman of the CEE, I am sure that you are aware of these events. The big question is, how did these happen?
I was reading an article on the Sun Star Bacolod by Carla Caňet, dated August 27, 2019 that featured your memories about your late cousin DENR Secretary Gina Lopez, whom you had likened to St. Francis of Assisi in her crusade to protect the environment and the natural resources of our country. In that article, you were quoted as saying the following:
The phrase that caught my attention the most was “We shared very similar convictions”. Did you really? A huge part of the late secretary’s crusade was that she became a thorn on the side of plunderers of our environment and she was remarkably effective at it. She not only held them accountable, but she made sure that they paid a price for their misdeeds. It has been months since the trees along the national highway were cut and converted into lumber and the story seemed to have just faded away. Has your committee investigated this? Has anyone been held accountable? Was this not a clear violation of RA 3571? I am sure your late cousin would have raised a stink to the highest heavens on this issue.
Now comes the reclamation of the river in Sum-ag which by all accounts is illegal and the cutting of mangroves which was also illegal according to Senate Bill 1185 passed in July of 2007. Your statement to Aksyon Radio on May 25 was lame and condescending. Where was your outrage? “Gina pangabay niya ini (Tacolod) nga kon mahimo, untaton ang konstruksyon sa lugar bangud klaro nga ini wala sang permit kag pwede niya ini mapadayon kon okay na ang tanan” Is thisthe appropriate response from the committee on Environment and Ecology? Again, I am quite sure your late cousin would think otherwise.
The people of Barangay Sum-ag and Bacolod City deserve better. We welcome progress and development when done properly and correctly. Most of our elected local officials have travelled abroad and had seen first-hand the infrastructure projects in places they have visited. A major undertaking like the development of the only living and navigable river in the City of Bacolod cannot and should not be left to the hands of unscrupulous and incompetent contractors who cannot even secure the proper permits to do the job.
Where is the comprehensive development plan? Where is the environmental impact study? Where is the flood mitigation plan? Was there a public hearing? What was the budget for the entire project? Who was financing the project? Were there any technical consultants and knowledgeable engineers who know about retaining walls and pier construction?
If Bacolod is to become a world class city, we cannot keep building these mediocre projects that end up harming our environment and ecology, both of which are the charge of your committee.||
