Panglao mayor orders enforcement of coastal easement law

CEBU, Philippines – Mayor Leonila Montero of Panglao, Bohol marked her town’s fiesta celebration with the signing of a landmark executive order, enforcing the mandatory salvage (or easement) zone along the municipal shorelines, a measure that sparked debate from opposing resort owners in the past.

Montero on August 27 issued executive order no. 9, series of 2014, to step up law enforcement efforts to preserve and protect the beaches, the town’s major tourism assets, to sustain and improve tourism businesses in the area.

The order, also known as “Enforcing the Salvage Zone and Easement along the Shorelines of this Municipality and Creating the Salvage Zone Enforcement Team for the Purpose.” prohibits any structure within the 20-meter salvage zone and or any facility or paraphernalia—be it for temporary purpose—that may destroy or obstruct the shorelines.

“In addition, owners of beach or shoreline establishments are obliged to maintain cleanliness in their immediate vicinities and beach or shorelines adjacent to their properties,” the order stated.

The Salvage Zone Enforcement Team is tasked to strictly enforce the policy “to ensure the preservation and the sustainability of the general coastal ecosystem of Panglao,” said the mayor.

The mayor said her order was in line with Article 51 of Presidential Decree 1067 (Water Code of the Philippines), which provides for the “mandatory establishment of easement for public use along the shores of the seas for recreation, navigation, floatage, fishing and salvage ...”

The law further prohibits the erection of any structure within three meters from the highest water mark in urban areas, 20 meters in agricultural areas and 40 meters in forest areas, she said, adding that the DENR delineates or defines the areas classified under the salvage zone or public easement zone.

Coordinates and proper markers shall be installed to be the basis of the enforcement of the law, and that any violating structures shall be removed or demolished, said Montero.

Montero said, “structures and business facilities are now invading the 20-meter salvage zone territories blatantly violating the law,” besides having “improper septic vaults and sewerage disposal,” resulting in the contamination of seawater.

The mayor however assured that the removal or demolition of an intruding structure shall be done in conformity with the law or “with utmost possible diplomacy” with the owner.

The Office of the Building Official and the Office of the Sanitary Inspector will also inspect the septic vaults of establishments near the shorelines, within one kilometer, to check whether it has complied with the provisions of the Sanitation Code, otherwise the property owner shall be compelled to comply with the rules within a prescribed period, or be criminally prosecuted, said Montero.

“Owners of beach and shoreline establishments are mandated to maintain the cleanliness of their immediate vicinities and beach fronts or shorelines. No throwing of garbage, plastics and any form of wastes are allowed. Scraping of any form of garbage and trash back to the sea water is also strictly prohibited,” the EO said.

The Salvage Zone Enforcement Team, created through the EO and under the mayor’s office, will regularly patrol the shorelines to check and ensure compliance, added Montero.