DENR, DILG chiefs support for watershed defense sought

By Erwin M. Mascariñas
Correspondent .

Cantilan, Surigao del Sur — Socio-civic and religious groups in the five towns of Surigao del Sur are hopeful that the support promised by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Roy A. Cimatu and Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo Año will be kept after their visit here a week ago.

The head of both DENR and DILG visited Cantilan last Tuesday to witness the signing of the commitment for the Convergence of Sustainable Watershed Statement (CSW).

The activity spearheaded by Cantilan Bank together with other stakeholder and local government officials in the towns of Carrascal, Cantilan, Madrid, Carmen and Lanuza, also known as the CarCanMadCarLan towns of Surigao del Sur, is aimed towards creating a convergence that pushes for the declaration that all critical watersheds as no go zones, for extractive industries such as it mineral production as to mining and illegal timber harvesting.

“Environmental degradation as the greatest threat to our national security, that is why environmental sustainability should be a concern for everyone in the same manner as defense of the Philippines,” said the former Director General of the Civil Aviation Authority  of the Philippines and retired airforce Lt. Gen. William K. Hotchkiss, Chairman of Cantilan Bank.

Hotchkiss added that, “as a community bank, we believe that our business sustainability completely depends on the sustainability of our communities and the environment. Our clients are mostly farmers and fisherfolk whose livelihoods mainly depend on natural resources.”

Cimatu assured that there will be no exploration and no application on watershed areas. 

“There should be no exploration and none of the application have been approved there, let the watershed stay as it is. The irrigation stays, and all of the things stays. A lot of groups wanted to explore but I won’t allow it,” said Cimatu. 

Unfortunately a mining operation has been operating on the watershed of Cantilan right above one of the largest river in Surigao

Cantilan Cenro Ruel Efren claimed that the mine site operated by the Marcventures Mining and Development Corporation when asked by DENR secretary Cimatu that the mining operation is only operating on a small portion within the watershed area.

But based on the presentation and data presented by the general manager of Cantilan Water District, the mining is within the area of the Cantilan watershed.

Vicente Cirilo A. Iriberri, general manager of Cantilan Water District cited the plea for action that the CSW governing board has crafted with its stakeholders in order to address the issues that affect the well-being of the watersheds and the communities that depend on it.

Both Cimatu and Año stated that they would look into the report of the mining operation right within the watershed and that action will be taken if indeed the mining operation has violated any laws.  

Atty Felix S. Alicer, Regional Director of DENR 13 pointed out that they will have to look into the no go zones.