AS tourism booms, islanders led by their officials and a beach operator in a six-hectare island barangay of Pandanon, Getafe, locked horns to possess a certain portion of the white sand beach that is now attracting foreign visitors from Cebu.
This developed during the hearing conducted last week by environment committee of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan following the protest of barangay folks led by captain Lydia Abapo.
Abapo sent a letter to the provincial government questioning the approval of Municipal Resolution No 82, series of 2009, endorsing in effect the application for foreshore lease of a certain Mr. Antonio Ouano, Sr.
In her petition dated April 26, 2009 signed by 707 residents, she asked the Talibon based Community Environment Natural Resources Office headed by Officer-in-charge CENRO Alejandro Estopa to look into Ouano’s application for foreshore lease.
Pandanon officials has passed on April 11, 2009 a Resolution “opposing the foreshore lease application (FLA) of Mary M. Ouano adjacent to approved FLA (VII-2) 615 of Ernesto C. Ouano Sr. at barangay Pandanon, Getafe, Bohol and any other application involving the same family.â€
For his part, acting vice-mayor Camilo A. Torrefranca, in his response to Pandanon officials’s demand, questioned why the Sangguniang Bayan was not the addressee nor furnished of the barangay Resolution.
He lamented that other agencies, such as the DENR, Department of Tourism, tourism committee chairs of the House and Senate, including Mayor Theresa P. M. Camacho, were instead furnished of the barangay Resolution.
But Torrefranca admitted before the committee hearing that Abapo had caused the endorsement for the SB through vice-mayor Cary Camacho “to fairly act immediately to help disapprove the pending application†of the Ouanos.
But he said that the said endorsement dated April 27, 2009 was received too late by SB’s office on May 5, 2009 since SB Resolution 82, series of 2009 was already passed. “Do not put us in the midst of your personal conflict with the Ouano family. We are only doing what we believe is right and not dictated by anybody,†Torrefranca said.
The barangay officials raised the a concern whether or not the barangay folks must be consulted prior to the approval of the SB Resolution No. 82, series of 2009.
The Ouano family represented by GEtafe councilor Antonio Ouano and Antonio Ouano, Sr. said why only now that the barangay officials are very interested to develop a certain portion of the beach.
Antonio Ouano, Sr. asked the DENR to give priority in approving their FLA because the Ouanos has been there on the island applying for FLA since 1980s.
As if diverting the issue at hand, the Ouanos pointed out that the real problem facing the island barangay is not the acquisition of the beach but the illegal fishing proliferated nearby. He challenged the barangay officials to curb the illegal fishing.
The Ouanos who operate a beach resort here said that with the tourism becoming a boom in the area they are able to provide job opportunities to the local residents.
The case is now in the hands of the CENRO Talibon to resolve once and for all.
In attrendance of the committee gearing included provincial legal officer Atty. Handel Lagunay, Atty. Raul Barbarona as an environmentalist representing the non-government organization operating here, board member Beinvenido Molina as vice-chairman of the environment committee, board member Alfonso Damalerio II, environment committee chair, board member Ma. Fe Camacho-Lejos, chair of the peace and order committee and board member Ester Corazon J. Galbreath as tourism committee chair and Mayor Camacho and her son vice-mayor Cary Camacho and other officials.
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