Please hurry and save Boljoon and Naga!

PLEA FOR HELP FROM BOLJOON!!

This urgent message was posted by Marc Canton of the Movement for Livable Cebu last Thursday. The message read: "Private citizens and fishermen are asking for help in Boljoon, south of Cebu. A supposed road widening has taken a large swath of the coastal mountain and the excess rocks and gravel placed on the town's seashore. Fishermen are asking for help as their livelihood has been threatened. In a public gathering, the mayor supposedly washed his hands of the project as it was a "national" initiative. How is this acceptable by any standard in this dat and age? How many trees were sacrificed? How are we damaging our seashore? We can't let this happen to our Cebu!"

Louella Alix shared a photo of the same spot in Boljoon before it was destroyed irresponsibly by eco-insensitive and irresponsible people. She also shared what she wrote about Boljoon in the book Balaanong Bahandi as follows: "To go to Boljoon, one goes through the most winding highway in the southeastern portion of Cebu. As one navigates the final turn – a white limestone cliff sheared close to the highway which locals call ILI–one beholds a jewel seemingly spawned by the sea yet rising above the crest of the waves breaking on the shore…"

Many of you who have been awed by the spectacular view of Boljoon–Cebu's Mediterranean–may no longer see that beautiful view, if the present situation of road widening in Boljoon is allowed to continue!

Alas, Boljoon may have lost that jewel and we are all the poorer for this loss unless we all rally, protest, and block these irresponsible, eco-unfriendly road-widening and other projects invoked in the name of progress by irresponsible leaders in government.

Please, please do your share to save Boljoon, especially the needy fisherfolks whose livelihood has now been threatened by those who chant the "in-the-name-of-progress" mantra.

Many questions beg answers.

Did the DENR allow this road-widening project? Were the local residents, including the fisherfolks consulted about the project? Did the project anticipate adverse impacts on other stakeholders and did the project implementors have contingency plans to avert damages to the environment and to the people, including the fisherfolks?

Who are responsible for this road-widening project and should they not be penalized for their destruction of the environment and the livelihood of people? This irresponsible group should also be penalized for robbing future generations of their valuable heritage, nature, and the beautiful jewel that is Boljoon.

And there is Naga, one of Cebu's top polluted areas! How many trees have been speedily cut to give way to road widening (again!) and to the construction of a sports stadium?

Could not the Naga officials wait and ask for intelligent, creative advice about how to get their roads and stadium without cutting the trees? Why the rush and why this adversarial attitude versus trees? Cannot the local officials of Naga not see the wisdom of God when He created and provided the trees for people? Or do those responsible for cutting the trees both in Naga and Boljoon consider themselves gods?

We lament the loss of precious trees and their valuable contribution to people: clean air, protection versus floods, fruits, food, medicine, and more. We lament the loss of the immeasurable beauty and peace of trees and other natural creations bring to people. We lament the irresponsible depletion of these natural treasures and their benefits that are lost to future generations as well!

Please, please hurry to save whatever is left of Boljoon and Naga! May the negligent people be brought to court and duly penalized soonest for their plunder of our trees, our seas, and other natural resources.

What about the hills and the mountains that have been leveled by irresponsible quarrying? Who is keeping watch and safeguarding our precious natural resources throughout Cebu and the rest of our country?

Regional DENR offices should have been doing their job as protectors and guardians of our natural wealth and heritage. Sadly, reality shows us where the loyalty of regional and national DENRs goes.

Who can save our trees and the rest of our natural patrimony and heritage? Who else but a united, concerned citizenry versus irresponsible, abusive destroyers of nature?

Urgently calling on all to save Boljoon and Naga and all other areas in Cebu and elsewhere in the Philippines to unite soonest to preserve and protect our God-given treasures and resources.

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