Island "divested" of silica deposits

TALIBON, BOHOL, Philippines  - Islanders of this pristine barangay of Suba in Jao island are wondering what happened to their rich silica sand deposits.

Apparently there was extraction, but a lot of questions came to them: Why? Was it permitted? Were the authorities aware of it? Who were the quarrymen? Where did they bring the haul? Was the excavation intended for fishpond?

While the extraction was going on, residents here did not mind it somehow because they were then busy of their livelihood, mainly fishing. As days passed by, however, the extracted silica was nowhere to be seen, and it was not known how much volume of the deposits was taken.

Today, the area seemed abandoned but already fenced with barb wire, obviously to delineate it from nearby property but it visibly violates the 20-meter salvage zone.

Uprooted branches of bakhaw and other debris are dumped on it to cover the dug up site. Residents here said the owner, whom they only know of the name Ayala, was probably trying to develop it for a beach resort soon.

Bohol Environment Management Office chief Loloy Lafuente, in an interview, told The FREEMAN his office was also unaware of this, but he said it was good that it was being brought to his attention, and that he would have the area inspected.

Silica is an ingredient for bottle-making, glass and ceramic products, and silica sand deposits still abound in this island, said an islander.

The island's white sand beach fronting the town of Bien-Unido is dotted with naturally grown and still growing old mangrove trees line up the beach front, some of which is probably as old as the first man inhabiting the island, he said.

Barangay Suba is one of three barangays in Jao island, the other two of which, Brgys. Busalian and Penamgo belong to Bien-Unido town. It's one of the 25 barangays of Talibon that is abundant with seafoods, different kinds of shells, fish species, both cultured and naturally grown, seaweeds, sea cucumber, prawn or crabs and squids.

Fishing is the main source of livelihood of the people here, while this hosts a expanse of flatlands ideal for rain-fed rice paddies that people plant and harvest only once a year.

The barangay is now energized with power from the Bohol Electric Cooperative II, and thus has great potentials for tourism.

Entrepreneur Wendy Crescencio has initially put up four duplex-type bamboo cottages and a building for restaurant and function room that she calls Bamboo Beach Garden Resort. It has not officially open yet while she is waiting for her partner-a foreigner she deems in an exclusive interview as her live-in partner-to pour more investments for swimming pool and a two-storey building.

Crescencio, who hails from Zamboanga but whose father was born here, said she will put into practice what she learned while working in tourism for six years in Malaysia, hoping also to provide more jobs to the people here. A big fiberglass motor boat is almost finished to ferry her guests soon. (FREEMAN)