PRA: Cordova, Capitol didn’t meet reclamation requisites

Both the Cordova municipal government and the Capitol failed to meet requirements for the town’s application to reclaim its foreshore land, ecology advocates said over the weekend.

Ecology lawyer Gloria Estenzo-Ramos showed to Cebu Daily News a letter from the Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA) that stated the failure of both Cordova and the Capitol to meet the documentary requirements for reclamation.

But the Capitol’s Provincial Planning and Development chief said the province need not comply with the PRA requirements because there’s an existing Cebu Provincial Reclamation Authority (CPRA).

Ramos showed the Dec. 14 letter during last Saturday’s forum on Cordova’s reclamation project held at the University of Cebu-Banilad (UC-B) campus that was attended by Cordova officials and stakeholders.

Ecology advocates voiced concern over Cordova’s ongoing reclamation project.

They said the massive earth-moving activities could take its toll on the town’s coastal ecosystem and displace fisherfolk.

The letter signed by PRA General Manager Peter Anthony Abaya was a response to Ramos’s inquiry on the status of the reclamation project application of Cordova and the Cebu province.

In the letter, Abaya said Cordova town applied for 20-hectare reclamation as component of its port project.

He said the agency advised the municipality to comply with their requirements for processing of their reclamation application.

Abaya said in the letter that the municipal government informed them that it would be the Capitol that would implement the reclamation project by virtue of its authority to reclaim under the Local Government Code of 1991.

PRA records also showed that they advised the province on the compliance of existing laws and regulations before undertaking any reclamation works.

This includes Executive Order No. 525 where all reclamation projects must be approved by the President upon recommendation of the PRA.

Abaya said this authority to approve reclamations was delegated to the PRA’s Governing Board under Executive Order No. 543.

Without compliance of PRA requirements, Abaya said they are unable to process any application for reclamation project.

But Engr. Adolfo Quiroga, the Capitol’s Provincial Planning and Development chief, said they need not apply for approval of the reclamation project from the PRA.

Quiroga, who heads the CPRA secretariat, said the CPRA ordinance cited Section 17 of the Local Government Code of 1991 which devolves powers and functions such as reclamation to the province and local government units (LGUs).

He said such authority is necessary to ensure the delivery of basic services and facilities such as reclamation projects.

Quiroga said the CPRA existed during the term of former governor and now Rep. Pablo Garcia of Cebu’s 2nd district. /Carmel Loise Matus, Correspondent