Illegal structures on Bantayan Island to face demolition

CEBU, Philippines —  The Department of Environment and Natural Resources in Central Visayas (DENR)-7 has intensified its crackdown on environmental violators encroaching beyond the easement zones along the coast in the region.

This time, the agency inspected Bantayan Island which is one of the known tourist sites in the region.

The Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) in Cebu City was tasked to do the inventory and inspection along the coastline of Bantayan Island, a separate island that lies above mainland Cebu.

DENR-Region 7 has two CENRO units in Cebu province -CENRO-Cebu City (jurisdiction covers northern Cebu) and CENRO-Argao (jurisdiction covers southern Cebu).

CENRO Cebu City head Raul Pasoc said the office already started the survey along the coastal barangays in Santa Fe town, which is the eastern portion of the island.

His office recently issued notices of violation to at least 21 structure owners including residential and commercial.

These structures were found to have encroached on the 20-meter easement zone along the foreshore.

The notice served as a warning, giving them a leeway of about two months to remove the part that has gone beyond the demarcation line.

Pasoc, however, said only two of the owners heeded their notice.

CENRO Cebu City then forwarded their report to DENR regional office.

Now, DENR-7 plans to turn over this case to the local judicial body for it to issue a court order for a possible demolition.

He said it is up to the court to decide which agency is going to implement the forced demolition, but most probably, it will be the local government unit that will have to execute the order.

Pasoc said after Santa Fe, the inspection team moved to the neighboring towns, Bantayan (the largest town covering the central part), and Madridejos (covering the northern portion).

He said the activities there are done simultaneously to speed up the job.

He said these localities are more challenging than Santa Fe due to their wider coverage.

Bantayan town alone has an initial count of 400 illegal structures, both residential and commercial.

He lamented that some of the owners there have been maintaining piggeries and using makeshift comfort rooms where wastes are discharged directly to the open sea.

He advised owners in the two towns to initiate the removal of the structures that encroached on the easement zone.

He emphasized that the agency is determined to clear the coasts from violators. — MBG (FREEMAN)