Tinaan folk support eco-zone in Balili lot

CEBU, Philippines – Residents of barangay Tinaan, Naga are giving the thumbs up to the proposed eco-zone that will be built at the controversial Balili property that was bought by Capitol. 

This was the consensus during yesterday's public hearing on the proposed Balili Eco-Zone Development.

Barangay captain Zosimo Panilag said that about a hundred residents of the barangay attended the public hearing and nobody raised opposition to the plan to develop the 24-hectare property that Cebu Province purchased for P98 million.

The public hearing was conducted by Provincial Planning and Development Officer Engr. Adolfo Quiroga and Capitol consultant Jose Ma. Gastardo.

Gastardo said that a plastic lining will be put on Pond A of the property where coal ash is set to be dumped to prevent seepage.

The geo-textile sheet will be put before any coal ash would be dumped.

Hearing this, the fear of the residents that the seawaters would be contaminated with toxins was allayed.

Timoteo Resaba, president of Tinaan Fisherfolks Association did not anymore pursue his question during the open forum when his concerns were already addressed.

"Okey ra mi tukuran og pabrika ang Balili property pero di mi mosugot nga tamukan og coal ash kay maapektahan ang mga isda sa kadagatan," Resaba said before the public hearing.

Resaba is also concerned about the fly ashes that will be inhaled by people when mixed to the air.

But he got satisfied with the presentation of Quiroga on how the coal ash and fly ash are transported from Kepco-SPC plant up to the dumping at the property where no ashes would get scattered.

"Kitang tanan ang responsable unsay mahitabo sa Naga. Ako ipasalig nga di nako pasagdan ang Naga," Mayor Valdemar Chiong told the people.

"Hinaut nga duna ta kaugmaon sa Tinaan sa ila buhaton sa Naga," Panilag also said.

As a display of support several placards endorsing the project were also placed around the barangay.

Gastardo told the residents that the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) required the Capitol to strictly comply with the conditions set in the Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) before it can get a permit to build an economic zone.

Gastardo said that a team with DENR will monitor the Capitol if complies the conditions in securing the landfill.

Residents applauded when Gastardo said that after the area is reclaimed, locators should give priority to Tinaan residents to work as long as they qualify for the job.

Chiong urged the people to come to him for whatever concerns they want to be addressed and not to other people.

Upon learning the development, Governor Gwendolyn Garcia thanked the people of barangay Tinaan.

Garcia assured the residents that proper mitigating measures have to be adopted because of the strict rules of DENR before they could get ECC.

"I am very happy, I'm very glad that the Cebuano has shown that he knows what is good what is right and what is just," she added. (FREEMAN)