CEBU, Philippines — The realization of the Cebu-Bohol bridge project faces some environmental concerns, as it involves the Danajon Bank Double barrier reef, a key bio-diversity area in the Philippines.
The environmental concern was raised before the Regional Development Council (RDC) prior their approval of support in declaring the Danajon Bank Double Barrier Reef (DBDBR) as a protected landscape and seascape area yesterday at the Cebu Capitol building.
RDC-Economic Development Council chair Melanie Ng, in her presentation before seeking the council’s approval, stressed that this area is a priority for conversion of reef, fishes, corals, mangroves, seagrass beds and mollusks as a large population of people are highly reliant on fishery resources in the area.
The DBDBR is composed of 13 LGUS, 11 in Bohol, one in Cebu, and one in Leyte.
For Bohol, it includes Calape, Tubigon, Clarin, Inabanga, Buenavista, Getafe, Talibon, Trinidad, Buenonido, Ubay and President Carlos P. Garcia. In Cebu, it includes Lapu-Lapu, and in Leyte it includes Bato, as reported by the DENR conservation division.
During the RDC meeting attended by different government officials and sector representatives, the Protected Area Suitability Assessment (PASA) Team of DENR-7 recommended the declaration of the DBDBR as a Protected Landscape and Seascape.
As recommended by the Environment Committee, the EDC passed Resolution No.10 (s. 2024), recommending to the RDC Full Council to support the declaration of the DBDBR as a protected landscape and eventually got the needed support.
But prior to the approval, Bohol Governor Erico Aristotle Aumentado asked for DPWH’s opinion on the project amidst the environmental concerns, to which Engr. Ninito Paylado said can still be feasible.
It was learned that the proposed alignment of the Cebu-Bohol bridge “will be most likely in that area.”
“It will be a continuation of the third bridge wherein we are going to connect the Cordova to Getafe,” said Engr. Paylado.
Paylado further explained they also have other projects that pass through protected areas, but they have properly coordinated it with the Protected Area Management Board (PAMB).
“We have noted that we also have projects that passes through protected area…And of course we will always be coordinating with PAMB, Protected Area Management Board for any comments that will be coming from that particular group,” said Paylado.
With this, the DPWH-7 representative believes the project can still push through.
“So I believe our project can still be pursued as long as we will be able to comply with any conditions that will be imposed by PAMB. So hopefully, that will be the scenario that we will be going to expect when we are going to pursue the FS of this Cebu-Bohol-Leyte,” added Paylado.
It was also shared in the meeting that environmental concerns also hound the Cebu-Negros bridge project as it will be on the Tañon Strait, which is a protected seascape.
It was proposed that a suspension bridge will have to be built since the distance is just short.
But for the Cebu-Bohol connection, it was noted that the only way to still protect the environment is to adopt technology accordingly. — /ATO (FREEMAN)