THE City Reclamation Authority asked Mayor Rolando ‘Klarex’ Uy to request the 20th City Council to pass a resolution holding in abeyance the approval of foreshore leases in Cagayan de Oro, an administration official said.
“(We in the reclamation board/authority) asked Mayor (Uy) to write to the City Council asking them to pass a resolution to hold in abeyance the approval of foreshore leases by companies pending the passage of the city reclamation master plan so there won’t be any conflict with City Hall’s plans,” said Councilor Edgar Cabanlas, who chairs the reclamation authority with Mayor Uy.
In an interview, Cabanlas, who chairs the council’s subdivision and landed estate committee, explained that a foreshore lease involves the temporary use of land in a coastal area.
“Usually they would build (a temporary facility) to store their goods (for pickup or delivery),” he said.
Once City Hall pursues its reclamation activities full time, Cabanlas said this would involve dumping of filling materials at the coast.
It had yet to be disclosed how many companies applied for foreshore leases in the city, though Cabanlas earlier said that the coastal areas of 10 barangays from Tablon to Bulua were being assessed for potential reclamation.
The councilor said the Uy administration is pursuing reclamation as one of its priority projects under its RISE development agenda.
Aside from seeking funding assistance from international finance institutions such as the Japan International Cooperation Agency and the South Korean Export-Import Bank, Cabanlas said they are coordinating with the Philippine Reclamation Authority and Cebu Reclamation Board for inputs on how to fast-track their application for reclamation projects.
“(But we need first) to formulate the master plan for the city’s reclamation projects because it will be the ‘Bible’ that will serve as a reference for our reclamation projects and so we are seeking grants from finance institutions to fund the feasibility study for our master plan,” Cabanlas said, adding that the reclamation project will also entail the involvement of the city’s private sector and interested investors. (Stephen Capillas of City Information Office)
