PB creates ad hoc committee for Mantayupan

CEBU, Philippines - The Municipality of Barili will not be tapping its calamity fund for the Mantayupan sinkhole concreting.

Barili Vice Mayor Marlon Garcia stressed that the event that led to the drying up of the Mantayupan Falls was not an act of God but rather, an incident caused by man.

Garcia, who heads the municipal council, sees no need to tap the calamity fund of the town because it is his stand that the people responsible for what happened should spend for the activities needed to restore things to their previous status, such as covering the hole that was opened by heavy equipment working in the area.

Mayor Teresito Mariñas earlier asked the municipal council to approve the Barili Risk Reduction Plan so they could use the fund allocation to restore the Mantayupan falls.

But Garcia said they could not approve the plan yet, because a lot of questions that they raised remain unanswered by the chairman, such as the plan to buy rubber boats, among others.

The executive order creating the risk reduction committee named Garcia as vice chairman and some councilors as committee members but he said they were not informed of any meeting and they would want to know how the committee arrived at the figures presented.

Garcia said that Mariñas, being the chief executive, has many appropriations to tap to address the problem. He could also present a supplemental budget or request for realignment of funds.

Garcia announced that municipal council will conduct, in aid of legislation, an investigation on the incident and its cause.

They will invite the property owner to their next regular session to shed light on the matter.

At the Provincial Board, PB Members Caesar Ian Geronimo Zambo and Alex Binghay of the third district of Cebu sponsored a resolution requesting the Department of Environment and Natural Resources – Mines Geosciences Bureau 7 and the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office to conduct an investigation on the incident.

PB is concerned that Mantayupan Falls, being a tourist destination will suffer the effects of the sinkhole and more so, the livelihood of the residents in the area.

 “An investigation is inevitable at this time so as not to put the life and limb of the residents in danger and aggravate the situation,” the resolution stated.

The PB will create an ad hoc committee led by Binghay in coordination with concerned agencies to look into the situation including falls in other places in the province to prevent the reoccurrence of the Mantayupan incident.

Vice Mayor Garcia, who had initial talks with people living near the area, learned that heavy equipment like backhoes have been in the site for weeks before the incident.

The residents want to know if there was an illegal quarrying or treasure hunting activity in the area.

Garcia said an elderly in the barangay would attest that the hole has been existing for decades, as evidenced by the concrete or cement near the mouth of the hole where the huge boulder has been removed.

Someone has also warned them that no activity should be done in the area, not even grazing of cows or carabaos.

“We should make the person responsible for that pay for the damage,” said Garcia.  (FREEMAN)