River rehab experts to help Dagupan
MAYOR Belen Fernandez said officials of the Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission led by its executive director, Dr. Ramil Tan, will be in Dagupan City on Dec. 20 to help in the city’s efforts to rehabilitate its river system and make it more sustainable.
Mayor Fernandez met Tan at the 3rd International River Summit in Cagayan de Oro City last November 24 to 26, an occasion where she presented the problems of the city’ rivers and tributaries.
Meanwhile, officials and staff of the University of the Philippines Marine Science Institute (UPMSI), whom the mayor also asked help to solve pollution and siltation of the city’s rivers, will also come to Dagupan on Dec, 7 evaluate the situation.
Fernandez attended the summit with City Agriculture Officer Emma Molina and other city officials to get an insight and learn from good practices adopted by other cities in the Philippines and other countries in protecting their river systems.
CLEARING FISH PENS
She said the clearing of the rivers in Dagupan of illegal fish pens, whether on titled or untitled lands, is a continuing concern.
The Task Force Bantay Ilog has just demolished seven newly-built fish pens reportedly owned by three kagawads from Salapingao and Bonuan Gueset.
She said the City Legal Office is now studying the filing of cases against these village officials, while the mayor again warned other owners of illegal fish pens, whether political allies or foes, to desist from building new illegal structures in the rivers.
At the same time, she announced the city is just waiting for the arrival of a barge that will carry the city’s newly bought backhoe for the massive clearing of the rivers.
Pointing out that it is not easy to pull out bamboos deeply embedded at the bottom of the river, Fernandez said, the city is also considering buying its own trawl boat that will be used to destroy the bamboo poles that remain in the water.
She maintained that some 680 illegal fish pens were already removed by the Bantay Ilog task force manually up to this time, assuring that the operations against these structures are still continuing with out let-up. (Leonardo Micua)
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