CEBU - Governor Gwen Garcia has ordered dozens of owners and operators of fixed and floating cottages in the town of Cordova to demolish their illegal structures following the alarming presence of fecal coliform in the area.
Garcia gave the cottages’ owners and operator until October 5 to dismantle the structures.
“Ug tinguha nako nga magpa-cute lang ko, ngano gud intawn ako paning labdan sa ulo? Ngano gud intawn magpakita pako nga nasuko nako? Kay dili na unya mo ganahan nako kay dili nako ma-cute. Pero unsa may inyong gusto: cute-cute lang ang gobernador, o gobernador nga nagtan-aw sa inyong kaayohan; gilantaw ang ato gayud kaugmaon?” Gov. Garcia told the cottage operators during a recent meeting.
Garcia announced that the provincial government will give financial assistance worth P10,000 to each of the 73 owners of floating cottages and the 54 owners of fixed cottages. At least 16 stall owners along the port area of Bantayan Bay in Poblacion, which was also ordered demolished, will likewise receive P10,000 each from the provincial government.
Moreover, some 147 boat operators whose livelihood will be affected by the order will also receive P5,000. The local government of Cordova will also give the same amount.
Those who would voluntarily demolish their cottages and stalls will be
eligible to receive another P10,000 from the Capitol, but this time it would be
in the form of “Sugbo Negosyo” cards which they could redeem from Capitol’s
partner merchants in order to start afresh another business venture.
Mayor Cesar Suan also announced that the local government will give one sack of rice for all affected stakeholders; as well as P5,000 each for cottage owners and P2,000 each for boat operators.
Garcia’s order came just days after the Department of Health (DOH) Regional Director Dr. Jaime Bernadas issued a health warning on public swimming and other similar activities within the coastal waters of Cordova due to the presence of fecal coliform bacteria which have reached alarming levels.
This was consistent with the findings of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Environmental Management Bureau released on August 10 which showed that the level of fecal coliform in the areas where cottages are located ranged from 170 – 2,400 MPN per 100 ml. The allowable level of fecal coliform for coastal waters safe for recreational activities is at 100 MPN per 100 ml.
Investigations also revealed that the existence of cottages in Poblacion and Catarman were the primary contributor of waste. The cottages, which sit on an area of 33 hectares, have been attracting an influx of tourists; yet cottage operators did not have proper waste management system and admitted to dumping human and other wastes into the sea.
Aside from violating several laws such as Water Code of the Philippines; the Water Code of the Province of Cebu; Philippine Clean Water Act of 2004; the Code on Sanitation of the Philippines; and The Tourism Act of 2009, among others, cottage operators also failed to secure environmental compliance certificate from DENR and mayor’s permit, and are not paying any form of taxes from their lucrative income.
Garcia also issued two executive orders prohibiting any further construction of structures and the immediate stoppage of operations of Cordova’s fixed and floating cottages. The Capitol is working closely with the local government of Cordova to craft a more comprehensive ecotourism plan that is more environment-friendly and sustainable for future generations.
“Di nato patyon ang gangsa nga nangitlog sa bulawan nga itlog,” the
governor said of Cordova’s rich marine harvest. “Ato na gyud nga panalipdan.
This should be an ecotourism project,” Garcia said. (Sugbo News)
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