• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The provincial government of Negros Occidental is planning to tap commercial contractors to speed up the clearing of volcanic materials from the waterways in La Castellana town.
Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said on Thursday (Sept. 16) he sought a special permit from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to allow commercial contractors to participate in the clearing operations at the Tamburong Creek in Barangay Biak na Bato.
Lacson said that several private contractors have expressed interest in extracting the lahar materials.
He admitted that using government-owned equipment is not enough to fast track the clearing operation, which is being hampered by occurrence of heavy rains.
By tapping commercial contractors, the province can hasten the clearing of lahar residues, Lacson said.
About 28,000 cubic meters of volcanic deposits from are set to be extracted from the creek.
DENR-Negros Island Region OIC Regional Executive Director Charlie Fabre said on Wednesday the Protected Area Management Board (PAMB) of Mt. Kanlaon Natural Park has formally requested the DENR central office to grant Lacson the authority to issue a special permit for the immediate clearing of the affected waterways in La Castellana.
Fabre said that a proposed resolution was agreed upon during the PAMB Resource Management Committee meeting on Sept. 16, which seeks to empower Lacson to expedite the removal of volcanic materials from the Tamburong Creek, which has been identified as a critical measure to prevent potential flooding and mudflows that could endanger downstream communities.
The proposed resolution is expected to be deliberated by the PAMB during its meeting on Sept. 25 at the Provincial Capitol in Bacolod City.
The special permit would also grant the governor the authority to manage the utilization of sand, stone, and moulding stones extracted during the dredging process for rehabilitation and reconstruction projects within La Castellana.
Lacson said that commercial contractors would be required to pay fees to the provincial government for the materials, which is similar to quarry operations but limited to lahar extraction.
“This is not the same as quarrying. This is specifically for lahar. Of course, the provincial government will charge them,” the governor added.
At present, the volcanic sediments removed from the creek are being transferred to the PAMB station, which is within the protected area, for proper disposition. | GB
