Committee to ask DPWH, Limketkai to agree on how to fix problem

By LITO RULONA
Correspondent .

THE city council’s committee on public utilities, engineering and public works is set to meet and convince the Department of Public Works and Highways and the management of Limketkai Development Corp. to reach an agreement on the flood-mitigation project in the area.

Councilor Teodulfo Lao Jr. said the committee has set a meeting today in response the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Land Management Office’s report that cited violations in the construction of a shopping center that covered part of Bitan-ag Creek at the Limketkai center.

“Kinahanglan nga maefer kini balik sa committee level tungod kay duna na gyu’y pagtuon nga diha gikan ang problema,” Lao said.

He said the DENR report validated his position on the issue of legal easement at Limketkai. He said others who shared his position in 2010 were Councilor Zaldy Ocon and the then councilor Roger Abaday.

In a three-page Jan. 20, 2015 document furnished this paper, DENR-LMO officer Edna Ferraris sounded alarm bells as she informed the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (Cenro) about the “illegal construction” at Limketkai center.

The construction project was given the city council green light on two occasions, first in 2008, and then in 2010.

Lao said he long warned that the flow of the Bitan-ag Creek was altered as a result of the project.

“Naa na’y jurisprudence ani somewhere in Zamboanga nga ilang gihilabtan ang natural flow sa creek og duna na’y decision ani sa Supreme Court. This is about patrimonial rights… owned by the state, and only Congress has the final say,” he said.

Lao said the flooding problem on CM Recto was aggravated because Bitan-ag Creek alteration.

“Straight man unta kana nga creek sa una gikan sa Camaman-an, lahos sa national  highway, pero ila mang giliko-liko. Mao nang mo-overflow ang tubig. Baha dayon ang resulta,” Lao said.

According to Lao, it was during the Emano administration that city hall gave Limketkai group permission to cover a portion of Bitan-ag Creek with concrete.