SEAWALL PROJECT

SECOND District Rep. Mark Cojuangco said Governor Ramon Guico III might have been misled by some individuals with political agenda on the true status of the seawall project in Lingayen.

This was the impression of Cojuangco amid reports in mainstream and social media that the he was not informed of the seawall project at anytime. He cited as a fact that the governor himself went around four affected barangays that made the fisherfolks and residents in the area look forward to the project to be implemented.

“Nagkakamali si Gov. dyan. Baka merong mga legal experts dyan na gustong magpasikat sa kanya na kung anu-anong nasasabi sa kanya… wala namang technical malversation,” he said

Cojuangco said he had invited Governor Guico and Lingayen Mayor Leopoldo Bataoil to the project site to set the seawall’s elevation, and also had a discussion with governor.

He expressed his desire to avoid clashes with the governor for the sake of the “people’s welfare.”

Project specifications

He said all the seawalls already built along the 12-kilometers area, four and a half kilometers have been built so that is around almost over a third of the entire length of the baywalk”, even as he pointed out that one section is at the back of the Capitol, also at the back of the PNP provincial headquarters and another in Binmaley area.

The one at the back of the Capitol, however, according to Cojuangco is low as the water during high tide and southwest monsoon overflows resulting in flooding for two weeks.

He also claimed that the sand that used to pile up along the highway is no longer happening because of the ongoing construction of seawall foundation of sheet pile in Maniboc, along the El Puerto Marina area. “Pundasyon pa lang, nakatulong na so ano’ng nirereklamo nyo?,” he said.

Bakit walang nagre-reklamo? Bakit ngayon sila nagre-reklamo? At sila mismo ang tumututol ngayon, ang instigator ng tumututol sila rin mismo ang nagsabi sa akin baha ang problema dyan,” the congressman said.

His predecessor’s project, not his

Unknown to many, he said the seawall project along the Lingayen-Binmaley baywalk area has been in existence since the time of Cojuangco’s predecessor. “Para alam nyo rin, minana ko yang project na yan. Hindi ko project yan,” he said.

He said it has been planned and programmed by his predecessor. The section that is being implemented in Maniboc was originally for Binmaley area but since the problem in some coastal areas in Lingayen is flooding, Rep. Cojuangco said he requested the DPWH that it be prioritized in Lingayen.

Although he did not name the so-called ‘instigator,’ Rep. Cojuangco said this person used to be his political ally.

Environment-friendly and rules-compliant

Cojuangco belied claims that no project should be made along the Lingayen Gulf area after former President Fidel Ramos declared Lingayen Bay as environmentally-critical. He said the project is a flood mitigating measure and based on rules, it has a Certificate of Non-Coverage which means it is exempted if a project is flood mitigating seawall.

He clarified that this project had an Environmental Compliance Certificate. “Once you transfer a project, there is a need again to get a new ECC which is not my responsibility. It is the DPWH, not me, I’m not the one who is applying,” he said.

No Technical Malversation

Regarding allegations of technical malversation, Cojuangco dismissed them as malicious since his role was to prioritize the project’s implementation, and the DPWH was responsible for the necessary processes.

He urged the governor to be cautious about potential misinformation. (Eva Visperas)

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