• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The Negros Occidental provincial government will conduct another public consultation on its proposed bulk water supply project in Barangay San Isidro, E.B. Magalona.
This is in response to concerns that earlier discussions were too technical for ordinary residents to fully understand.
Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said the initial hearing conducted by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources- Environmental Management Bureau (DENR-EMB) was a mandatory requirement under environmental compliance procedures, which was highly technical in nature.
He said, however, that a succeeding consultation will be held where project details will be explained in simpler terms and translated into the local dialect to ensure wider public understanding.
E.B. Magalona Vice Mayor Marvin Malacon recalled that participants found it difficult to fully grasp the technical aspects of the DENR-EMB-led hearing, prompting the need for a separate public consultation at the town plaza where officials can directly explain the project’s benefits and possible impacts.
“As to the stand of Saraviahanons on the project, we will heed whatever the majority wants,” Malacon said, emphasizing the importance of transparency and community participation.
Among the concerns raised during the earlier consultation were the project’s possible impact during water scarcity periods and questions regarding future expansion plans.
The proposed bulk water supply project involves tapping the Malogo River as its primary source, with an estimated extraction capacity of 16 million liters per day.
If approved, it is expected to supply water to E.B. Magalona, Manapla, and Victorias City through their respective water districts.
Lacson said that if local government units support the project, host-communities, particularly E.B. Magalona, may be given priority in water allocation.
He also noted that benefit-sharing schemes are being studied, including a possible program similar to San Carlos City where a portion of revenue per cubic meter of water consumed is allocated for tree-planting initiatives.
He added that environmental programs tied to the project are being considered as part of the province’s broader climate resiliency efforts.
The DENR-EMB clarified that the recent hearing in E.B. Magalona was only the initial stage of the approval process, with additional consultations and information sessions expected in the coming weeks to ensure broader public participation and clearer understanding of the project’s impacts and benefits. | GB
