Mayor Michael Rama is asking for financial and logistical support from national government agencies in clearing coastal hazard zones of structures.
The mayor said this has always been his advocacy but the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) should support the local government units which are the best to manage their respective coastal areas.
“I’ll give them my political will. I can come in with my Joey Daluz and REDZ (Reduction of Danger Zones). This has been my advocacy since my start in 1992. This is already so delayed. Let’s do it now,” Rama said.
However, the city’s land management council, headed by Rama’s executive assistant Jade Ponce, said much of the work is for national agencies.
“Achieving a shoreline free of homes and other structures is more on the national government like the DENR, Land Registration Authority (LRA and Registry of Deeds) and the Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA) and not of the LGU,” Ponce said.
He cited that it is the DENR through its Land Management Bureau (LMB) and Land Management Services (LMS), that processes and grants titles to individuals and entities over areas that are “clearly underwater” like in the case of the Balili property in Naga City and the Go property beside the Mambaling access road leading to the South Road Properties.
He added that it’s the responsibility of the LRA and its local Registry of Deeds that issues the actual titles to these questionable lots which are underwater.
The LGUs have nothing to do with the grant of property rights and issuance of these titles.
Ponce also pointed out that it is the PRA that grants authority for property owners to “destroy” the shorelines through reclamation.