Developer agrees to excavate Creek

By Maricar M. Calubiran

A subdivision developer has agreed to excavate portions of Dungon creek it had backfilled.

In a meeting with the Bureau of Lands, Mayor Jerry Treñas, City Engineer Marito Amatorio, Councilor Perla Zulueta of the Sanggunian Panglungsod's committee on environment, Engineer Bernan Certeza of Henber Realty Development Corporation (HRDC) said that they will clear the portion of the Creek which they filled with earth while developing Westwood Subdivision.

In an interview, Zulueta said the developer admitted that they have backfilled portions of the creek. Henber's reclamation was also manifested in the recent relocation survey of Dungon Creek conducted by the Land Management Service of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

Zulueta added that the developer also signified to dredge the portion of the creek at their own expense. The city needs at least P200,000 for the dredging of the Dungon creek. It will also take time for the city to release such funds.

In the relocation survey report, the inspection team found out that there was a soil backfill of three to five meters wide creek ward beyond the property line of Westwood's subdivision. On the same line, a sloping area was formed due to backfill of the lower portion which occupied additional three to five meters wide space toward the creek.

The relocation survey team led by Althea Acevedo has recommended that the present water ways of Dungon Creek which range from two to four meters wide be widened and straightened its course to avoid overflowing during heavy rains or rainy season or restore the approved original width of Dungon Creek. The original width of Dungon Creek range from a minimum of 9-11 meters to a maximum of 11-45 meters.

The conduct of the relocation survey was made based on the complaint of the residents. Residents feared the reclamation will affect the waterways and cause floods in barangays located near the Dungon Creek.

Although the EMB has issued a notice of violation to the developer, no sanction was imposed. The notice of violation was dated April 2002 and the developer was only made to explain. Since then, no action was taken against the developer.