THE Municipal Agriculture Office (MAO) of San Fabian town began dismantling illegal structures, including of fishpens mostly owned by businessmen from Dagupan City and other towns, erected in the town’s rivers beginning Thursday, June 30.

According to Johnny Paraan, municipal fishery officer, MAO already dismantled some 80% that was started in Tocok-Barangubong Bridge, heading towards the Nibaliw area of the town with five illegal fish structures and three oyster beds built in the middle of the river’s navigational lane.

Due to numerous illegal structures built, the river’s carrying capacity was pushed to its limit, resulting in pervading stench odor in the rivers.

Many of the illegal structure owners again asked for more time for them to harvest but former Mayor Constante Agbayani rejected their pleas because they were already warned earlier and were already given enough time to demolish their illegal structures.

Paraan said the dismantling operations were long overdue and the delay was due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Paraan added that former town Mayor Constante Agbayani also suspended the dismantling operations, when he was made to believe that some of the illegal structures might have been erected by indigent residents.

The DILG and DENR eventually issued a directive to dismantle the illegal structures along San Fabian’s rivers, but it was not also immediately acted upon due to the election period.

The MAO is set to completely dismantle the structures within 15 days.

After the dismantling operations, Paraan said programs will be implemented to benefit the residents of the town, and for the river to recover – by harvesting aquatic resources without harming the river’s ecosystem.

He said the town’s new mayor, Marlyn Agbayani, has been briefed about the town’s worsening siltation in its  river system. (Ahikam Pasion)

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