Mayor pessimistic, former tourism exec opposes reclamation

As far as Cordova Mayor Adelino Sitoy is concerned, the town’s mini-Boracay project is a “floating dream.”

“Nganung magsige man ta’g hisgot anang wala? Wala ma’y investor ug ang airport (transfer) wala na pud (Why should we talk about something that doesn’t exist and there is no investor? The airport (transfer) is also gone), “ the mayor said.

The mayor referred to the proposed transfer of the Cebu international airport to Cordova town that was being lobbied by Rep. Tomas Osmeña of Cebu City’s south district.

Sitoy made the statement even as a former tourism undersecretary voiced his reservations over the town’s mini-Boracay project, saying this would affect nearby beaches particularly on Mactan Island’s eastern side.

Phineas Alburo said the tourists visiting Cebu for its pristine waters and beaches will be driven away once reclamation work for the mini-Boracay project proceeds, because it will make “the beaches murky.”

“Ig-kita nila sa dagat (hugaw, lubog), mo-check-out na lang (commercial hotels, beach resorts and condominums) (The moment they see the murky waters they will check out of the hotels, beach resorts and condominiums),” he said.

Sitoy earlier expressed dismay over the lobbying efforts against the mini-Boracay project by ecology groups, whom he described as “foreign-funded” activists aiming to attract more funding through their high-profile campaigns.

Damage

He said they already met with Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma last April and presented a study showing that illegal fishing activities and damage caused by the reclamation for the project will be minimized.

But Alburo, who works as a consultant and lecturer of the Institute of Tourism and Hospitality Management of the University of the Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF) warned that the reclamation may affect the pristine conditions of Mactan Island’s beaches.

He said 60 percent of tourists stay in Mactan because of the beaches and if these deteriorate, the province may lose its top foreign tourists like the Japanese, Chinese and Koreans. The other 40 percent stay in the city, Alburo said.

Alburo cited the marine sanctuary in Hilotongan Channel and the beaches of Plantation Bay as sustaining damage if the reclamation pushes through.

“Believe me the sea will constantly move if we continue to reclaim,” he said.

“The tourism industry is very competitive and if we lose these tourists because of this reclamation, then goodbye. Although I’m in the private sector now, I’m just saying this because it concerns the tourism industry in Cebu,” Alburo said.

He said it’s hard to attract European tourists because of perception about the country’s security and safety.

“We have to rely on what we have now, if we lose them, then it’s good as gone,” Alburo said.

Beautiful dream

Alburo also said the airport transfer from Mactan to Cordova is “just a beautiful dream” since it needs a super highway and a high-speed train, which would take another generation to be completed.

Alburo said the existing airport need only be improved.

“We can’t even maintain our roads in Mactan, how much more the airport transfer. Let us try to preserve it; let’s improve only on what we have now,” he said.

While both Sitoy and Alburo aren’t optimistic about the airport transfer, the Mactan Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIA) reported offers from at least seven companies to buy the airport lot. One of them, SM Prime Holdings, offered to finance the relocation of the airport to Cordova town.

While not keen on the ro-ro terminal project to be built in Cordova town as part of the reclamation, Alburo said there’s nothing to be done about it.

“The ro-ro project is already there, let’s not proceed with the reclamation,” he added.

A roll-on-roll-off pier was built in Cordova this year, part of a 10-hectare reclamation project undertaken by Cebu province in Cordova town.

Ecology groups warned that the reclamation project will damage the town’s marine biodiversity.

The Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA) declared the reclamation project illegal since it didn’t pass through their office.

But the Capitol reiterated its authority to conduct reclamation projects and cited the Local Government Code, which empowers local government units (LGUs) to conduct projects it deemed crucial for its development.

Sitoy had clashed with fisherfolk groups, who allied with ecology advocates in filing cases to halt the implementation of the reclamation project.