Noynoy urged to reclassify Camotes

CEBU, Philippines - Although he received the Malacañang letter a day after deadline, Tudela Mayor Erwin Yu has requested President Benigno Aquino III to approve the bill reclassifying Camotes’ group of islands from mangrove and forest reserve to alienable and disposable land.

In an August 8 letter, Malacañang’s Deputy Executive Secretary for Legal Affairs Michael Aguinaldo requested for Yu’s comment and suggestions on the bill, which is already awaiting the President’s signature.

Yu was given until August 17 to respond, but he received the communication only last August 18.  In his August 20 letter-reply, Yu urged the President to sign House Bill (HB) 897 into a law.

“The approval and enactment of the above-stated bill into law shall be for the benefit and general welfare of the four municipalities of the Camotes Group of Islands in the Province of Cebu,” he said.

“The same will surely encourage businessmen to invest industrial and commercial ventures (in Camotes) to enhance and uplift the economic and social conditions of the residents of the Islands,” he added.

Camotes has a great potential for eco-tourism development and reclassifying it would allow for any tourism-related infrastructures.

Reclassification, as provided for by HB 897, would also give security to owners of real properties and open up Camotes to various developments as businesses would be enticed to invest.

It, however, would only cover dry lands or 60 percent of Camotes mangroves; lakes would remain as protected areas.

Durano proposed amendments to Proclamation No. 2152, which former President Ferdinand Marcos approved in December 20, 1981.

The proclamation identified Camotes as mangrove forest reserves; thus, sale or disposition of lots in the islands is prohibited.

Earlier, the municipal and barangay officials of the towns of Poro, Tudela, San Francisco, and Pilar unanimously denied a report that residents are against the proposal.

The Sangguniang Bayans (SBs) of the said towns have passed separate resolutions supporting HB 897, which then congressman and now Danao City Vice Mayor Ramon “Red” Durano VI authored.

San Francisco’s SB and Association of Barangay Councils even held a joint session last July 18 to pass the resolution belying the report.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources Protected Areas and Wildlife Division had said its own survey revealed that residents are against the measure.

The supposed survey, whose respondents were community leaders and barangay officials, was reportedly part of the eight-step process required by law before a protected area is de-listed from the National Integrated Protected Area System (NIPAS) law.

Local officials of Camotes, however, claimed they received no information from constituents that such survey was made.  (FREEMAN)