Ordinance for park near Kawasan Falls under study

A WEEK after it was closed, the Kawasan Falls in Badian town are cleared of all illegal structures.

Despite this, Badian Mayor Robert Librando said the falls is still closed to tourists and even locals.

The Badian municipal council is also scheduled to enact an ordinance designating a municipal park near Kawasan Falls for the visitors today.

Librando told Cebu Daily News that the Provincial Engineering Office stuck to its one week period of removing the illegal structures.

These structures included a kiosk that already occupies half of the river.

Steel bridges that were placed on the big rocks of the falls were also removed.

Librando said they had to explain to visitors why the falls remained closed and they supported the municipal government’s move to develop the site.

Badian Vice Mayor Fructuoso Caballero said the Badian municipal council will enact an ordinance to declare an identified area located 200 to 300 meters away from the Kawasan Falls as a municipal park.

Cottages will be put up in the identified area, the only site where tourists visiting Kawasan Falls are allowed to eat, Caballero said.

He said the council will discuss this plan since it involved several lot owners.

An inventory of all the occupants will be done. During their meeting last week with Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia, Caballero said one lot owner didn’t signify his intent to donate the lot.

Al Orolfo, head of the Protected Areas, Wildlife and Coastal Management Services of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said the Land Management sector is reviewing the land title problem posed by resort owner Willy Saldua.

The issuance of the Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) for the occupants near the falls is also being reviewed by the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB).

Librando told Cebu Daily News that they want to consult the DENR on whether Saldua can still maintain his other structures in the area.

Under the law, there should be 20 meters easement from the river itself. “It would be best that there will be no structures,” he said.

He said a technical working group (TWG) of officials from Badian, the Department of Tourism (DOT) and Governor Garcia will still meet within the week to discuss plans on the falls. Correspondent Carmel Loise Matus