The dredging equipment for the declogging of heavily-silted waterways in E.B. Magalona has arrived at the Tuburan Port of the town.
Merck Salazar, a representative of First TeraDev Corp. who is supervising the initial deployment of dredging equipment, said that they have nothing to hide in the implementation of the project, pointing out that their activities are in accordance with the governing laws and regulations.
Salazar said that they will start the clearing of Malogo rivermouth located in the boundary of E.B. Magalona and Victorias City.
It will be followed by the dredging of Imbang River at the boundary of E.B. Magalona and Silay City in the north, as well as the Madalag River.
This will also benefit the city governments of Silay and Victorias, Salazar said.
Mayor Marvin Malacon dismissed the allegations of an environmentalist group that the dredging activities in the major waterways of E.B. Magalona will threaten its blue crab industry and may worsen the floods.
The dredging aims to clear heavily-silted rivermouths and remove waste materials, to ensure the uninterrupted flow of water to the sea from creeks and canals, Malacon said.
Green Alert Environmental Network issued a statement that the dredging is not a total solution to the recent flooding.
It also warned that such activity would threaten the town’s blue crab industry.
GAeN also claimed that the extraction of black sand will release harmful substances and increase water turbidity and liters of toxic metals that negatively affect marine biodiversity, and slow land subsidence may occur.
Malacon disputed claims that the project will jeopardize the blue crabs breeding ground, stressing that he will be the first one to oppose the dredging activities if it will have an effect to the livelihood of the town residents.
The tapping of the private firm by the local government unit in dredging heavily-silted rivers was an offshoot of Joint Memorandum Circular No. 2019-01 of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Public Works and Highways, Department of the Interior and Local Government, and Department of Transportation that rationalizes dredging activities in heavily-silted river channels.
“We, Saraviahanons, are fortunate, that the national government, through the First TeraDev Development Corp., will clear our waterways, for free,” Malacon said.
Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson earlier admitted that the provincial government cannot afford to shoulder the cost for massive dredging in the province.
Malacon said that the dredging of heavily-silted waterways is not only in E.B. Magalona but also in other areas of Negros Occidental.
A study made by the PAGASA or the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration in 1996 showed that E.B. Magalona is now below sea level.
Malacon also said that the nine coastal barangays, and most of those recently hit by floods including Tanza, San Jose, Santo Nino, Tabigue, Damgo and Alicante, and even sugar planters, are demanding that their respective waterways be cleared. – GB
