AFTER two years, the city council’s committee on environment and natural resources released on Tuesday the consolidated committee report of the Samal Island-Davao City Connector (SIDC) report.
However, environmental groups said the two-year delay did not justify the resolution of the city council for the construction of the controversial bridge.
Earlier this May, Ecoteneo, Sustainable Davao Movement (SDM), Interfacing Development Interventions for Sustainability (IDIS) demanded that lawmakers surface the SIDC hearing committee report to know the real position of the city council on the project.
They collectively pushed for the release or they will look into the possibility of filing a writ of kalikasan against the contractors and agencies behind it.
Councilor Temujin Ocampo, the committee on environment and natural resources chair, released the report on Tuesday and passed a resolution terminating and closing the item.
These items include opposition of El Paril Resorts Inc., Paradise Island Park and Beach Resort and Costa Marina Beach Resort; the request of Winifredo Gorrez to review the SP Resolution filed in 2019 favorably endorsing the SIDC Project of the DPWH; letter of Batacan, Montejo, and Vicencio Law Firm appealing to DENR to defer approval of Environmental Compliance Certificate of SIDC; letter of SDM to revisit landing options of the bridge; speech of concern of Councilor Nilo Abellera Jr.; and the speech of Councilor Luna Acosta relative to the request of Sons Realty and Development Corporation for the relocation of SIDC.
The items were separately referred to the committee on July 12; Sept. 20; Oct. 11, and Oct. 24 in 2022.
The joint hearing with the committee on public works and highways and committee on tourism and beautification was held on Oct. 26, 2022, and with the committee on trade, commerce and industry on Nov. 23, 2022.
The three committees convened anew on Jan. 18, 2023.
Restoration budget
In the report, Raul Millana, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources regional director, said the office assured no fisherfolks would be affected by the project. He added that “modern technology” will be employed to restore the reefs, citing the same case with the Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway.
Millana said the central office issued no objection, but it did not go through the regional office.
On the restoration budget, Engr. Joweto Tulaylay, SIDC project manager, said a multipartite monitoring team (MMT) will check for any damage but he assured the effects from the construction will be “minimal” due to the methodology they are using.
Tulaylay assured the body that columns laid on the seabed would not be hammered down and waste from the creation of boreholes would be hauled directly by a barge.
Involvement of city government in bridge’s location
Engr. Tulaylay said the city government was involved in the chosen location, and that the current alignment meets the requirement considering the navigation of seafarers- change of alignment will cause a “much bigger problem.”
Emil Clarito of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) XI said the project was endorsed by the Infrastructure Development Committee XI in 2019 where a feasibility study provided four options.
However, after considering clearance for airplanes landing at the airport and ships passing under the bridge, the IDC recommended the 4th option (the one being constructed now).
Clarito informed the body that the city mayor has a seat in NEDA’s regional development council and NEDA was provided a copy of the city development council’s endorsement of the project.
In the summary proper of the report, it said issues and concerns raised “have been clarified and addressed” and that concerned government agencies have fully complied before the commencement of the bridge construction.
Councilor Temujin Ocampo, committee chair told reporters the recommendations to close and terminate the items have taken consideration of all the premises and on the basis of documents submitted and discussed with committee members.
Ocampo said while the items were closed, it is not a prejudice for all parties “to reopen or to file a case in court and whatever legal remedy they are willing to take.”
When asked if the city council can interfere or support the complainants, the councilor said they can only recommend.
Moreover, the primary environmental concerns about coral reef destruction were outside the jurisdiction of Davao City, and given that SIDC is a national infra project, any specific concerns “must be escalated to appropriate government agencies or to the proper court.”
‘Disappointing’
Mark Peñalver, IDIS executive director said the release of the report and closing of the items is “disappointing” as it only opened more questions.
Peñalver said there must have been documents that were presented during the committee hearing that were not delivered to the stakeholders concerned.
“It is very disappointing that it was closed when we have been requesting for it in 2022 and now it’s already 2024, 2 years in the making but there were no updates in between,” he told reporters.
He said the council had closed the discussion “without really closing the issue.”
At present, the group is still “strategizing” along with Ecoteneo, and looking into other remedies, filing of Writ of Kalikasan included, if other methods will not prosper.
