Save Cebu Movement: re ongoing site development in Balamban

For public information, please find the first portion of the Save Cebu Movement’s official statement regarding the present site development in Balamban.

The rest of the Save Cebu Movement’s official statement will be posted Saturday.

“We, the Save Cebu Movement, strongly condemn the continued assault on Cebu’s mountains by the construction of the ‘soon-to-rise Provincial Capitol by the Provincial Government of Cebu and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), including the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. The ongoing site development in Balamban pending a showing that a proper Environmental Impact Assessment has been conducted by the proponent shows the egregious disregard of the Constitution as well as environmental laws and regulations.

No less than the 1987 Constitution guarantees the right of all people, in this case Cebuanos, to a balanced and healthful ecology in accord with the rhythm and harmony of nature. This right, as held in the Oposa ruling, is held in trust for all generations, present and future, in accordance with the principle of intergenerational equity. Hence, we cannot allow the continued decimation of our mountains along with the flora and fauna it is home to as our obligation to this generation, our children and future generations to come.

Mountain ecosystems are important not only for the natural resources and wildlife these host, but also to increase our resilience to the worsening impacts of climate change. We are the midst of a climate crisis.

In fact, it is already Code Red for Humanity according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Yet, we, especially those holding positions of power, continue to ignore the glaring signs of our rapidly and unpredictably changing planet. It bears emphasis that the Philippines continues to be doubly susceptible to the adverse climate impacts with a great many Filipinos highly dependent on natural resources from our seas, mountains, and forests.

The wanton disregard of all of these is apparent in the acts and omissions of those who allowed the bulldozing and cementing of our mountains to happen. These acts violate environmental laws, such as the Environmental Impact Assessment Act under Presidential Decree 1586, Expanded National Integrated Protected Areas System Act under Republic Act 11038, Wildlife Conservation Act under Republic Act 9147, Climate Change Act under Republic Act 9729, Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act under Republic Act 10121, among many.

The ongoing site development weakens and violates the strong legal environmental and EIA frameworks if allowed to continue.

Cebu’s mountains serve as buffer zones to the Central Cebu Protected Landscape and are critical watersheds that ensure water sustainability. If we do not protect these mountains, we will lose our remaining viable source of freshwater on the island. These mountains also protect us from the ravages of super typhoons as we now find ourselves in the pathway of these extreme weather conditions that can be a disaster for all Cebuanos as we’ve learned from ST Odette and the recent deadly landslides in Maco, Davao de Oro.

It must be noted that the Environment Department through the Environmental Management Bureau is duty-bound to strictly follow the 3 criteria for review of these projects, including the integration of environmental considerations, technically sound assessment and mitigation, and social acceptability based on informed public participation.

So we ask, how could this project have passed strict scrutiny of these criteria? If there are no EIA and Environment Compliance Certificate, why did the Province, Municipality and Environment Department allow the DPWH to proceed, if indeed it is DPWH’s site development work.

We cannot allow any form of complicity and passing of the blame to others. Each one who allowed, and failed to act to disallow, this project to happen is responsible!” (to be continued)

By April 3 morning, 500+signatures here- https://chng.it/fFYCt4kMr4