WHILE reclamation remains a major driver of any local government’s economy, any reclamation initiative to be undertaken by City Hall will seek to minimize its impact on the city’s environment, an administration official said last Wednesday.

“Studies have shown that reclamation had contributed substantially to a city’s economic growth...That´s what happened to Cebu and Manila. Already there are small cities like Dipolog, Iloilo, Bacolod, and Dumaguete that are looking to apply for reclamation projects…we are on the right track (as far as developing the city’s coastal barangays through reclamation are concerned),” Councilor Edgar Cabanlas said.

Cabanlas, who chairs the City Reclamation Authority, said this days ahead of a scheduled meeting with top officials of the Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA).

LEARNING FROM OTHER LGUs. Councilor Edgar Cabanlas said City Hall will draw on the experiences of other local governments in undertaking a reclamation project in one of the city’s coastal barangays. CIO photo by Stephen Capillas

Cabanlas said the coastal areas of 11 barangays from Bulua to Tablon are being considered as potential sites for the city’s reclamation project.

“The land features of Cagayan de Oro are mostly hills rather than flat terrain,” the councilor said.

As such, Cabanlas said reclamation will head towards the coastal areas. As far as support for the city’s reclamation initiative is concerned, Cabanlas said the local business community is supportive of the move.

“Yes they are supportive but they emphasized that we should guard against the environmental impact of reclamation so that future generations won’t suffer (the consequences) later on,” he said.

That said, Cabanlas said the city needs the support of national government agencies and the private sector in undertaking any reclamation project.

“Hence why we are glad that agencies like the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the Department of Public Works and Highways, and the National Economic and Development Authority are on board with the City Reclamation Authority,” he said.

Acting City Planning and Development Office chief Ramir Balquin said their meeting with the PRA will include among other items the crafting of a master plan for the city’s reclamation project.

“We will ask them the requirements and we will ask their assistance in finalizing a feasibility study to be funded by the city on our reclamation project. Then we will ask the private sector for interested investors. That’s our plan,” Cabanlas said. (Stephen Capillas of City Information Office)