Environmental groups air concern over airport project

MANILA, Philippines - Concerned environmental groups have expressed concern over the environmental impact of the P2.5-billion international airport in Caticlan, Aklan, the airport servicing the popular resort island of Boracay.

The Earthsavers Movement and the Boracay Foundation Inc. (BFI) are asking the project proponents to secure an environmental impact assessment (EIA) and a new environmental clearance certificate (ECC) from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. They are also asking for public consultations on this build-operate-transfer scheme project.

The upgrading of the airport is a State of the Nation Address (SONA) priority of President Arroyo and being pushed by Bacolod Rep. Monico O. Puentevella. The project will be initiated by the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC).

In his resolution, Puentevella, House Committee chairman on transportation, said that there is a need to lengthen the existing runway by leveling the hill on the eastern side of existing Caticlan Airport aerodome.

Roger Birosel, secretary general of Earthsavers Movement, pointed out that leveling the hill, which is a climate barrier to Amihan rains and winds, may trigger local weather changes like rain, wind, typhoon impact.

“A sprawling mangrove will be killed as the neighboring Lupo-Lupo Lake will be filled with the earth from the leveled hill. The lake is a natural catchment for water coming down from the hill and covering it up will cause runoff water to spill into the sea and cause environmental damage to corals and even the white beaches of Boracay due to siltation,” he explained, adding that, “it will also cause flooding of the airport complex itself and the surrounding communities.”

The environmental group also learned that the present Caticlan Airport is in a particularly vulnerable site. It is adjacent to a major fault and is underlain by loose non-consolidated sediments.

Expanding or upgrading it has immitigable disaster potential, Birosel said. “High seismicity is a great threat due to high vulnerability to subsidence and liquefaction from earthquakes. What happened to Dagupan may happen here especially with the recent 6.1 earthquake off Mindoro,” he added.