Guimaras officials score DENR over rehab projects

MANILA, Philippines - Provincial officials of Guimaras questioned the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) over rehabilitation projects in areas not affected by an oil spill in 2006. Online news site The News Today reported that Guimaras Gov. Felipe Nava said the DENR livelihood projects in unaffected areas has eaten up funds intended for rehabilitation of affected areas. "I'm not contented with what's happening. We are in the dark and we don't know if these are beneficial to the people of Guimaras. I think we should correct this (because) we are wasting money," Nava said. The livelihood projects for the areas affected by an oil spill in August 2006 cost some P35.451 million, with P29.7 million intended for Guimaras Island alone. The fund is part of the P130 million given to the DENR from the P867.4-million rehabilitation fund for areas affected by the oil spill caused by they sinking of the M/T Solar 1. DENR projects include the production and utilization of "sibukao" in Barangay Taminla and bamboo production and processing in Barangay Dagsaan. Both villages are in Buenavista town. Solar I, chartered by Petron Corp., sank in stormy seas off Guimaras spilling more than 2.1 million liters of bunker fuel oil it was transporting from Bataan to Zamboanga. DENR Regional Technical Director Alicia Lustica said the projects benefit 60 households in Dagsaan and 150 residents in Taminla. But Jimmy Baban, provincial planning and development officer, said rehabilitation projects should be focused in Nueva Valencia and Sibunag towns. Nueva Valencia was hit worst by the oil spill of the province's five municipalities. Also, the southwest portion of Sibunag was affected by oil pollution. Baban pointed out that Buenavista, located in the northeast section of Guimaras and where the DENR projects are located, was hardly affected by the oil spill. "The rehabilitation fund supposed to be given for those who lost their livelihood during the oil spill," said Baban. Nava lamented the implementation of the DENR projects despite the holding of two meetings between stakeholders and government agencies last year to coordinate programs and efforts. Lustica said the projects in Buenavista would benefit people's organizations of the Community-Based Forest Management (CBFM) areas. She said that even if they are in upland areas, the residents were also affected by the oil spill. Lustica said the DENR also has livelihood projects in Nueva Valencia but she said other agencies also have projects in the area that the DENR does not want to duplicate. - GMANews.TV