In Talisay’s Mananga River: Hauling activities imperil bridge

CEBU, Philippines - The continued illegal sand and soil extraction in Mananga River may endanger the busy national highway duplex Mananga Bridge, which is part of the Cebu south corridor, a district engineer warned.

Engineer Roy Alviso of the Second Engineering District Office said the excavations are threatening the structural integrity of the bridge.

Alviso said the constant excavation of the riverbed is posing risk to residents living nearby, as well as to the public and private vehicles passing on the bridge.

Separately, Mayor Johnny De los Reyes has urged the police authorities to apprehend all persons doing soil and sand excavation in the area.

It can be recalled that De los Reyes allowed small-time haulers to extract sand and gravel at the Mananga River to make a living.  The mayor yesterday, however, said he has since disallowed this.

“Tinuod atong gitugutan isip testing period pero ato nang gipaundang pero mga badlongon gihapon, mga gahi kaayo og mga ulo. Gi-high blood na ko aning mga tawhana. If dili pa lagi against the law, ako na silang pamusilon,” De los Reyes said.

Talisay City Councilor Danilo Caballero also recently sponsored a resolution aimed at putting an end to the illegal hauling activities in the area.

Caballero said there is a necessity to conduct river structure inspection and soil investigation due to the uncontrolled worsening case of soil excavation at the Mananga riverbed.

The councilor wants the DPWH to conduct soil investigation on the riverbed to check the stability of the Tabunok Mananga Bridge 1, Mohon Bridge, Biasong-Dumlog Bridge, and other river structures.

Caballero believes that the excavations are affecting these public structures.

Last 2007, the Mananga Bridge 1, which connects Barangays Tabunok and Lawaan II, underwent repairs due to fears that illegal quarrying near the base of the structure may have affected its stability.

In May, Caballero asked the Cebu Provincial government to review the executive order issued by Mayor De los Reyes on the creation of Mananga Task Force following alleged illegal quarrying operation reports.

De los Reyes created task force in 2013, whose responsibility is "to guard and protect a portion of Mananga River from any entity that may commit criminal acts against the river's well-being."

Caballero, however, said there is a need for Governor Hilario Davide III to review the enforcement of the task force since illegal activities are still rampant.

The Mananga River is an integral part of the Central Cebu River System, which also includes Combado-Lusaran River Basin, Kotkot River Basin, and Coastal River basin.

An integral part of Mananga River is within the territorial boundary of Talisay. utmost importance.

"With the deteriorating status of Mananga River and the alarming illegal extraction of sand and gravel in the river, the foundation of the bridge is endangered. There is a need for a higher authority to review the enforcement of the law done by the local government," Caballero told Davide in his measure.

Caballero also said the council appropriated P1.4 million in 2014 and P1.3 million in 2013 for the task force's operations, but there was allegedly failure in monitoring.

"There were reports that some job order workers were paid from appropriated budget of the task force in the year 2013 up to present but not reporting to the area. Mao na ang report akong nadawat," Caballero said. (FREEMAN)