Talisay to regulate excavations, backfilling

CEBU, Philippines - In a bid to regulate excavations and backfilling, the Talisay City council has approved a proposed resolution setting cash bonds for excavations and backfilling activities.

The approved ordinance states that for excavations more than 50 cubic meters and more than 2 meters in depth, the owner should post a cash bond of P50,000.

The ordinance, which was authored by Councilor Rodi Cabigas, chairman on council committee on Infrastructure, also states that excavations shall not exceed 100 cu. meters or 3 meters in depth and shall not be left open “without any work being done on the site for more than 120 days, “otherwise the cash bond shall be forfeited in favor of the government to cover the expense for the backfilling of the excavation should the owner/permittee fail to restore the same.”

If the bond is insufficient to effect the necessary restoration, additional cost to be incurred to complete the restoration shall be charged to the account of the owner/permittee or to whoever shall assume ownership of the property.

The new law also states that if the owner/permittee refuses backfilling of the excavation, the Building Official shall initiate legal proceedings.

The ordinance was filed in the council last year after it was noted that backfilling activities could prove to be dangerous to some residents, especially that there were previous situations that actually blocked the drainage of some areas.

Cabigas also noticed that putting of back-filling has resurfaced especially in the supposed economic zone at the Cebu South Coastal Road area, hence a measure regulating or stopping it must be passed.

“It has been observed in many instances by the City Zoning Task Force that wanton and indiscriminate backfilling activities have become rampant within the Special Local Economic Zone and in the entire locality of the City of Talisay as well, which are made without proper regulation,” read the resolution that supports the ordinance. (FREEMAN)