Mayor Neil Lizares has asked a Bacolod contractor to temporarily suspend road clearing work in Sitio Campuestohan, Talisay City, within the Northern Negros Natural Park (NNNP).
Lizares in a letter to Jerry Sy Monday, May 24, said while the Talisay City government “was not party to your special use agreement in protected area application, this matter concerns us since the area is under our jurisdiction.”
The mayor asked Sy to temporarily suspend his activities in the area until they can come to an environmentally favorable agreement in a meeting to discuss the matter.
“The City of Talisay has always been passionate in its pursuit to conserve, manage and protect its environment and natural resources for the benefit of its constituents and the future generations,” the mayor said.
Lizares said it had come to their attention that clearing operations were underway for a road.
“These activities can result to the destruction of trees in the area which the city government avoids. It came to our attention that said activities were under your management and directives,” Lizares told Sy in his letter.
The Talisay City government was not informed of the project of Sy in the area, Talisay City Administrator Jonathan Ealdama said.
Joan Nathaniel Gerangaya, head of the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office – Bago City, said he is joining a meeting with the contractor and the Talisay City government on the matter Tuesday.
Sy said they only cleared an existing road, no trees were destroyed.
He is helping residents start a livelihood project in the area that has been approved by the Protected Area Management Board and has a permit from the barangay, Sy said.
Sy said he will finance the livelihood project of the residents that would include planting flowers and vegetables.
He denied that he is building a resort in the area.
Roderick Samonte, director for external affairs at the Carlos Hilado Memorial State College in Talisay City, said on Saturday, International Biodiverity Day, he had gone to the NNNP through Sitio Campuestohan and caught site of the ongoing road construction.
“This is outraging because part of the government regulation and reminders for mountaineers in the Protected Area (NNNP) as indicated in the huge billboard installed by DENR (Department of Environment and Natural Resources) is the strict prohibition to create a new trail among several other provisions to protect and respect NNNP,” he said.
“But why is there a road construction? This is way more than a hiker’s trail. And the current construction is to my estimate not even one-fourth yet of the target,” Samonte said.
How is this going to protect our biodiversity, let alone our Protected Area – one of the two remaining forest frontiers of Negros? Samonte asked.
DENR, the government agency mandated to protect our environment and natural resources, what have you done or not done? he also asked.*