By Ruben A. Veloria
ZAMBALES, Philippines – Governor Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. on Monday ordered to stop all illegal construction within the accretion areas, and ordered local government officials to identify those who are responsible in selling accretion lots in coastal of San Narciso and San Felipe in this province to investors.
The order was made during the meeting of the Zambales Provincial Foreshore Lease Management Council (ZPFLMC) meeting which was called to address the aggravating problem the LGUs of the province is facing over the seemingly unaverted growing number of illegal constructions in the accretion or sand deposits which the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) classified as danger zone in 2008.
Attendees to the meeting, which was held at Balin Sambali, include San Narciso Mayor Laraine Abad-Sarmiento, and San Felipe Mayor Jeinhard Jesareno, Provincial Consultant for Development and Infrastructure Engr. Domingo Mariano, Zambales Police Dir. P/Col. Benjamin Arriola, DENR-CENRO Edward Sernadilla, DENR-PENRO Marife Castillo, members of the barangay councils of the coastal communities in San Narciso and San Felipe.
“We have serious problems but the cause of these is the sea,” said Gov. Ebdane as he added that resort owners are blaming the provincial government when strong waves destroyed their properties during the heights of monsoon rains. “This is because they didn’t actually know, or they continue to ignore the legal truth about the land they built their facilities,” he said.
Based on the latest estimates, there are more than 2,000 private resorts in San Narciso and San Felipe operating without business permits, and the facilities were constructed without building permits. Ebdane gave an example of Liwliwa, a popular destination for beach goers and campers in San Felipe, many resort structures were wash-out or damaged by strong waves during tropical cyclones “Luis” and “MayMay” and monsoon rain or habagat.
“Despite the damages caused by nature, many investors are still being lured to buy lands inside the accretion area without knowing, or maybe they were not informed properly by the sellers, that selling lands in the accretion is illegal,” Ebdane said.
Meanwhile, PENRO Marife Castillo told the Council that the warning signs put by DENR in 2008 saying that the area was declared danger zone and construction of any structures are illegal can still be found in the accretion area, but these are continually ignored by land sellers, as well as the buyers o investors.
On the note of prioritizing the safety of the public, Gov. Ebdane said the law should be implemented whoever might be affected, “If they have no legal documents they should be stopped from constructing more structures, and no more permits- business or occupancy, should be issued for accretion areas.” Engr. Domingo Mariano recommended that the municipal assessors and tourism officers, building and business permit officials should perform their duties to monitor the illegal construction in the area, and to put check points that will prohibit entering construction materials for resort owners.
“The community should cooperate in stopping the construction of more illegal structures in the accretion to ensure the safety, not only of the resort owners, but especially the general public,” Mariano said.
Mariano said that based on PENRO and CENRO reports, despite the issuances of warnings and show cause orders, private individuals continue buying portions of accretion lands and building concrete structures for their resort businesses in Bgy. Sto. Nino, San Felipe, completely disregarding the big warning signs and boards nearby.
Meanwhile, Gov. Ebdane, as chairman of the ZPFLMC, formed a technical working group that will formulate a guideline which will serve as legal basis of the Council during the implementation of area surveying and clearing operations against illegal structures and businesses inside the accretion.
“We are here to help the affected parties, to correct the mistakes they have committed, and to identify those responsible in the illegal selling of land in the accretion, including those who helped facilitate or transact the selling,” Ebdane explained.
