Dauis feud on fish cage far from over

Queries on tourism and livelihood surfaced even as dispute between resort owners and fishermen in barangay Songculan, Dauis town over fish cage project is far from over.

Officials of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan environment committee and municipal government here are facing this challenge to resolve the row and must find “win-win” measure so that “everybody is happy.”

Resort owners, including Ma. Melinda Borja, Susumu Gomi, Enid Gomi and the Hidden Corals Resort, filed a complaint against a group of fishermen called Songculan Guso Farmers Association (Sogufa) led by its president Juanito Obispo.

They (resort owners) alleged that floating fish cages (bangus culture) and structures posed navigation hazard and “eyesore, insightly and unsuitable for tourist area.”

It pollutes the area because feeding materials and waste excretion drain to the water. “The project emits unpleasant odor, which again violates the rights of the residents of the area to have a healthy environment. Unpleasant odor is never pleasing for a tourist designated area either.”

Aside from this, the resort owners also said that the public and community were not consulted about this project. “There are no clearance from the barangay nor Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Environmental Clearance Certificate (ECC)” were issued. The petitioners, however, pointed that they are not against the livelihood of the fishermen but that the project should be in order.

Obispo is wary about what might happen to the project if this would be removed elsewhere. He said he cannot decide for himself what to do with it because he has to consult his members first.

He said it was not choice of the fishermen to erect such project because it was the authorities concerned that technically recommended for the area to grow bangus.

Based on the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), the project is a joint undertaking of the fishermen, the municipality of Dauis and the provincial government.

In fact, the MOU said the government recognizes the need to promote food security by increasing fish production through accelerated transfer of fishing technology and training of coastal fisherfolk as direct participants in the proper management of marine water. Both the resort owners and fishermen said the issue remained unattended by the municipal and barangay officials despite appeals.

The MOU was signed by Mayor Luciano Bonggalos, fisheries division head Madelone Rengel, and Obispo as verified by Atty. Jaime C. Jimenez on September 21, 2006. Executive director of PROCESS Foundation Emilia Roslinda, barangay chairman Filastro Ararao, assistant fishery division Jose Belga and Mae Ann Tercero representative of Bohol Marine Triangle stood as MOU witnesses.

FINDINGS

The ocular inspection last week revealed, among others, there was no consultation with the barangay officials in setting up the said project. This is confirmed by barangay officials led by captain Arao-arao in a huddle with the resort owners and fishermen during the visit. Barangay captain said that such project must be regulated to prevent others to follow suit and mushrooming the same (project) in the future.

It was also found out the MOU seemed to be “unauthorized” by both the SP and the Sangguniang Bayan, officials alleged. SB members who also with the ocular inspection claimed they were not aware nor consulted of the project much more the MOU did not pass the legislative mill pursuant to the Local Government Code.

What make the resolution of the row more complicated is that SB claimed there is none yet what it called as Coastal Resource Management Plan that would delineate and define and identify to put in place tourism belt and livelihood components.

SB members said they have not even furnished with the copy of the MOU, hence how come they act on said project.

Barangay officials tried to persuade the fisherfolk to transfer the project in a little distance because resort owners are willing to assist. In an interview, Gomi said she is willing to help to make the project transferred.

But Obispo told the inspectors that the fisherfolk do not want to transfer their livelihood after their recent meeting. Officials requested Obispo to furnish them with the minutes of the meeting rejecting the appeal for them to keep distance from the resorts.

The on-site inspection was also participated in by Dauis Kagawads Silvino Cinches, Crispin Tubayon and Jobert Bomediano, chairmen of the committees on agriculture, environment and tourism, respectively. Mario Limocon of PROCESS Foundation, representatives of the Bohol Marine Triangle, Edgar Petallar of the Bohol Environment Management Office and Bureau of Fishery and Aquatic Resources (BFAR). Provincial Board Member Dr. Bienvenido Molina, vice-chair of SP environment committee, went ahead of the team to see for himself the situation of the project. (RVO)