City to launch vigilant Bantay Suba project
The city government here will launch its vigilant river watch project along the Iloilo River in a move to help preserve the estuarine that divides the city districts into two parts.
City Mayor Jerry P. Treñas said the Bantay Suba project of the Iloilo City River Development Council (ICRDC) will institutionalize the river watch as a major component of the 15-year Iloilo River Development Master Plan.
Treñas said the river is host to six major bridges as gateways to and from the city proper and if properly preserved and maintained, could be a major city tourist attraction and income earner for city residents.
The bridges over the Iloilo River are the Quirino Bridge going to Lapuz district, Diversion Bridge and Carpenter Bridge going to Mandurriao district, Jalandoni Bridge, Drilon Railway Bridge and Forbes Bridge going to La Paz district.
Launching will be held in the early morning of January 17 near the Carpenter Bridge in Molo district along the new Iloilo Boulevard to be participated in by partner river barangays, national government agencies and non-government organizations that volunteer for the river watch project.
The estuarine or arm of the sea is a 12-kilometer stretch from the river mouth at Muelle Loney city proper to Mohon, Oton, Iloilo traversing 35 barangays having a population of more than 54,000 people, some of whom depend on the river for their livelihood.
City environment and natural resources officer Noel Hechanova, concurrent ICRDC executive director, said that several issues and concerns were raised for the vigilant river watch to start.
These include the poor water quality of the river, presence of solid wastes and other floating debris, heavy siltation, lack or inadequate infra facilities for public access to and from the river that could draw public interest, worn-out buildings and structures from the river mouth up to Quirino Bridge;
High incidence of respiratory diseases among residents near the river, presence of informal settlers and lack of data on the economic valuation of the different industrial, commercial activities and businesses along the Iloilo River.
Hechanova said that technical assistance and grant were already provided to 11 out of 19 riverside barangays as beneficiaries of the community-based solid waste management (CBSWM) project of the Iloilo Flood Control Project (IFCP) funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
Included riverbank barangays within the IFCP Iloilo River Improvement Project are North San Jose, Tap-oc, San Pedro and Taal in Molo district; and Tabucan and San Rafael in Mandurriao district.
Other barangays along the river are South San Jose in Molo, Nabitasan, Luna and Rizal in La Paz district, San Agustin in the city proper; and Barangay Obrero and Mansaya in Lapuz district.
On the other hand, the Bantay Suba is a city government project with private cooperation that will assist in the strict implementation of all relevant local and national laws, monitor compliance of the Implementing Rules and Regulations of the Iloilo River Development Master Plan and undertake a regular river clean-up
Members of the Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary and Bantay Bayan will field more than 100 volunteers to conduct vigilant watch along the riverbank stretch and discourage people or commercial establishments from making the river a septic tank of their solid and water wastes.
The volunteers will be assisted by members of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) Iloilo Chapter aside from assistance from the Iloilo Business Club (IBC), United Architects of the Philippines (UAP), IFCP and Filipino Chinese Chamber. Cooperating government agencies include DENR, DPWH, BFAR, DA, Marina, PPA, PCG, PN and PNP.
Hechanova said the project also seeks to augment efforts to clean and dredge the Dungon Creek that empties its water to the Iloilo River. Critical 12 barangays along Dungon Creek are Barangays Dungon A, Dungon B, Kalubihan, Tatay Zone 2, Desamparados, Ungka, Lourdes and Seminario in Jaro district; Bolilao and Bakhaw in Mandurriao district; and Magsaysay Village and San Isidro in La Paz district. (PNA)
