Author Topic: Questionable Panglao Island Reclamation Deal Stopped by SP  (Read 1028 times)

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Questionable Panglao Island Reclamation Deal Stopped by SP
« on: October 20, 2010, 01:23:18 PM »
By the Bohol Standard

The Sangguniang Panlalawigan during its regular Friday session, approved the committee report of the Joint-Committees on Environmental Protection and Tourism, that came up with the observation that there was “undue haste” in the conduct of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signing between the Provincial Government as represented by then Governor Erico B. Aumentado and Oasis Leisure Islands Development Inc., represented by it’s president, Boholano businessman Norris Oculam.

The passage of a resolution stopping the reclamation project in Panglao Bay, at least for now, was sponsored by lawyer Abeleon R. Damalerio, Chairman, Committee on Natural Resources and Environmental Protection and seconded by another lawyer-board member Venzencio B. Arcamo, a former town councilor of Panglao.

Third district board member Godofreda O. Tirol chairs the tourism committee.

NO DEFENDER

Unfortunately, when the two committees arrived at such conclusion, Oculam was not present to defend the project. He was in Manila when the committee hearing was conducted in the afternoon of October 8, 2010.

Allegedly, not all sectors were properly informed of the reclamation proposal, including the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Municipality of Panglao, the SP committee report said.

During the committee hearing, OIC-Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer Nestor Canda disclosed that “not a single document was filed at the PENRO or the DENR regional office in Cebu signifying interest for reclamation in the seawaters of Panglao”.

The absence of Oculam contributed to the non-confirmation that the application for the Oasis reclamation project was already submitted to the Philippine Reclamations Authority (PRA) Manila office.

When asked on the DENR stand on the issue Canda said: “We cannot give a stand because we don’t have any document to refer to or look upon. We were not given the study whether the reclamation is feasible or not.”

“It seems the intention is more of conducting a study rather than to enter into actual reclamation,” he added.

Canda also informed the two committees that per government guidelines, there are 3 or 4 entities qualified for reclamations namely: the Local Government Unit (LGU), Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA) and the Government Agency who has jurisdiction of the project for the particular area.

“Private entities are not eligible for a reclamation project,” he said.

2 APPLICANTS

On July 13, 2010, Andrea D. Domingo, General Manager and CEO of Philippine Reclamations Authority wrote new Governor Edgar M. Chatto, informing that there are two (2) existing project studies pending before their office; one of which is the Panglao Oasis Island Project, eyeing approximately 450 hectares offshore of Panglao Bay.

Incidentally, attached to the said letter was a Letter of Intent dated June 21, 2010 from Gov. Erico B. Aumentado signifying the province’ intention (in behalf of the proposed joint-venture with Oasis) to apply for reclamation in the same area off Panglao Bay, Bohol.

The Municipal Government of Panglao is also an applicant for reclamation on the same shores. Panglao mayor Benedicto Alcala told the two committees that the municipality of Panglao was not consulted about the project and that they knew about it only in newspaper and radio reports.

Despite previous pronouncement, the Municipality of Panglao through its Sangguniang Bayan, had on October 4, 2010 issued a resolution “against any reclamation within the Municipality of Panglao”.

UNDUE HASTE?

Per records of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan secretariat, the committee report of the Committee of the Whole of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan dated December 18, 2009, recommended for the passage of a resolution (Resolution No. 2009-633, dated December 22, 2009) authorizing the Honorable Governor Erico B. Aumentado to represent the provincial government and sign the Joint Venture and Development Agreement with Oasis Inc.; provided however that provisions and amendments of the Joint Venture and Development Agreement will be made an integral copy of the same.

Oasis (OLIDI) President Oculam had earlier informed the two committees that an agreement (MOA) was already signed by Gov. Aumentado.

The committee report said the MOA was signed despite the fact that the resolution granting the former Governor authority was only to “enter into a negotiation” through a Joint-Venture and Development Agreement (JVDA) with Oasis.

Oculam, when contacted yesterday on the recent development, simply said: “Mao ba?” (is that so?), without making any comment.

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