Authorities enforce ban on illegal structures in coastal waters of Cebu’s Cordova town

Cebu, Philippines map

CEBU CITY — Police and other law enforcement agencies started to implement the ban on floating and permanent cottages on the waters of Cordova town on Monday, August 29.

Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia issued Executive Order (EO) No. 25 which prohibits these illegal structures that have caused environmental problems due to a lack of proper waste management.

The structures are also in violation of several environmental laws and administrative orders on easement zones on bodies of water.

Cordova Mayor Cesar Suan earlier issued a cease and desist order on the ongoing construction of cottages along the town’s shallow bay area.

READ: Capitol: No more floating cottages in Cordova

Garcia agreed with the mayor and issued a separate executive order effective August 29.

“The further construction and/or operation of these illegal structures are harmful to the environment and public health, and patent violation of existing laws, rules, and regulations,” Garcia wrote in her EO dated August 28.

An inventory of these illegal structures conducted and prepared by the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources has discovered that these illegal structures have no proper waste management facilities and no proper waste disposal system which caused the pollution in the coastal waters of Cordova town.

DENR’s Environmental Management Bureau also conducted a separate Ambient Coastal Water Sampling and it was found that the waters are no longer in safe and satisfactory conditions.

Garcia has asked the police, the Philippine Coast Guard, the Naval Forces Central, and the Maritime Industry Authority to help in the enforcement of her order.

There were, however, reports that some of these floating cottages have transferred to the waters of the neighboring Lapu-Lapu City, an independent city and not under the political jurisdiction of Cebu province.