Envi bureau gives DPWH ultimatum on ‘C3’ project

By Nitz  Arancon,
Correspondent

THE REGIONAL director of the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB 10) here has given his counterpart at the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH 10) an ultimatum of seven days or face sanctions.

Sabdullah Abubacar said he is giving DPWH 10 regional director Evelyn Barroso seven days to “explain in writing” why his office should not suspend and revoke the environmental compliance certificate on the latter’s multimillion 18-kilometeer circumferential road and bridge projects in Iligan City or more popularly known as the “C3 project.”

Abubacar’s ultimatum is contained on his “Notice of Adverse Findings,” dated Oct. 14, to Barroso.

The road construction project is located at the intersection of the Arterial Road, Iligan-Cagayan de Oro-Bukidnon Road which connects to as far as the southern part of Barangay Suarez in Iligan City. Along with the road project in question are the three bridges DPWH is currently constructing.

In his Notice of Adverse Findings, Abubacar stated these projects have been endangering people, private property and the environment.

On Oct. 11, a portion of a slope on the road project collapsed which caused imminent danger to the residents of Iligan City.

Abubacar argued the project did not follow conditions of the project’s ECC, specifically conditions no. 4 and 6 under Presidential Decree 1586.

“Institute slope stabilization and slope protection works, and the proponent shall see to it that the  submitted Environmental Management Plan, and Environmental Monitoring Plan, shall be strictly complied,” the Notice of Adverse Findings reads in part.

Abubacar’s findings are the result of a memorandum issued by Atty. Michael Drake Matias, chief of EMB in Manila.

“Accordingly, may we respectfully request your office to immediately take action which may include the issuance of the necessary notice to the proponent and other concerned parties pursuant to the provision of PD 1586 and implementing rules and regulation thereof,” Matias’ memo to Abubacar reads.

Matias’ memo to Abubacar, for its part, is the result of a complaint filed by Uriel Borja who personally went to EMB Manila

“Ang pagka lumpag sa yuta sa maong dalan niadtong Oct. 11, resulta lang kadto sa ordinary nga   ulan, dawbi kon dunay bagyo na matabonan ang entero syudad sa Iligan,” Borja said in his complaint.