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Aklan SP Approves STL Panay Aklan River Dredging Project

by Odon S. Bandiola

Aerial view of the Aklan River

The Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Aklan has authorized Governor Florencio T. Miraflores to be one of the signatories in a Memorandum Of Agreement for the creation of the Multi-Partite Monitoring Team, Environmental Guarantee Fund and Environmental Monitoring Fund for the dredging project of a Singapore-based STL Panay Resources Incorporated at the Aklan River. 

The authority was embodied in Resolution No. 002, Series of 2015 enacted by the chamber during its 1st Regular Session for 2015 on January 7, 2015.

The formation of the tripartite monitoring team and the setting up of the environmental guarantee fund and environmental monitoring fund signal for the dredging project to start as soon as the dredging permit is granted by the Department of Public Works and Highways.

Signatories to the MOA governing the creation of the monitoring team are the project proponent STL Panay Resources Incorporated, Province of Aklan represented by the Governor, Municipalities of Kalibo and Numancia represented by their respective Mayors, DENR-EMB Region VI, DENR-PENRO Aklan, NGO Uswag Development Foundation, Incorporated, DENR-Mines and Geosciences Bureau Region VI and DPWH.

The Aklan River dredging project is already issued an Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) by the Central Office of the DENR. Likewise, DPWH Central Office has already approved the dredging plans submitted by the STL Panay Resources Incorporated and already endorsed to the DPWH Regional office for the issuance of a permit to dredge.

STL Panay Resources Incorporated is expected to dredge about 15 million cubic meters of debris at the Aklan River in a year operation. The original MOA, then signed by the company with former Aklan Governor Carlito S. Marquez, stipulated that STL Panay will dredge a minimum of 15 million cubic meters and pay the Province of Aklan P5.00 per cubic meter.

In the project presentation by the company, it is estimated that about 60 hectares within the Aklan River waters downstream and upstream shall be excavated by the dredging project. Dredging is not allowed within the one kilometer length away from the Kalibo Bridge downstream and upstream. Dredging shall be done by providing 200 meters buffer from the east and west banks of the Aklan River. Excavation will be at a depth of 2 meters to 4 meters depending on the level of siltation in the dredging area. 

In the aftermath of typhoon Frank when the entire Municipality of Kalibo, Numancia and Banga had been flooded as the Aklan River had overflown its banks, the Department of Public Works and Highways Regional Office implemented a P100 million dredging project at the mouth of the Aklan River near the Sibuyan Sea.

However, such DPWH dredging project has never shown positive result and impact in the eyes of all Aklanons and Local government units of Aklan.

Aklan SP Urges DENR to Classify Sooc River Waters

The Aklan River and Sooc River run and drain parallel to the 
Sibuyan Sea with Sooc and the east and the Aklan at the west.

by Odon S. Bandiola

The Aklan River and Sooc River run and drain parallel to the Sibuyan Sea with Sooc and the east and the Aklan at the west.

In another development and alarmed by the rising levels of coliform contamination of water samples taken from the Sooc River very recently, particularly in the vicinity of Kalibo’s dumping site in Barangay Bachao Sur and Buswang Old, the 16th Sangguniang Panlalawigan has urgently asked the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to immediately classify according to usage the Sooc River waters.

The urgent request was embodied in Resolution No. 277, Series of 2014 enacte

d by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan during its 43rd Regular Session on December 10, 2014.

The reason why the SP has requested for the immediate classification of Sooc waters was that both the DENR and the Aklan Environment and Natural Resources Office cannot possibly establish the parameters as to what level of coliform contamination can be tolerable to prevent hazards to human life and marine resources as well as the environment.

The SP learned that the level of coliform count on tests on Sooc River water samples conducted by the AKENRO revealed tens of thousands MPN/100ml. It was also learned that DENR had earlier conducted tests on these water samples in the same vicinity of the Sooc River and tallied millions MPN/100ml of coliform contamination from the Sooc River water samples.

Both AKENRO and DENR failed to establish whether the high level of coliform contamination can be attributed to the seepage of liquid wastes emanating from Kalibo’s dumping site. This alarmed Aklan SP.

The DENR has already issued an order for the Local Government Unit of Kalibo to immediately institute safe closure proceedings on the capital town’s dumping site.  Residents and businesses, institutions like schools and other stakeholders living or doing businesses in the vicinity of Kalibo’s dumping site had long been complaining of the foul odor and hazards to health caused by the garbage being disposed in that area. 

The SP Committee on Environmental Protection chaired by SP Member Esel L. Flores after a committee hearing over the issue and recommends the following: 

1. For DENR to cause immediate classification of the Sooc River Waters upon request by LGU-Kalibo so that tolerable levels of contamination particularly coliform can be established including possible hazards to human and marine life and the environment;

2. For DENR to closely monitor compliance of LGU-Kalibo in the implementation of the safe closure procedures of the Kalibo Dumping Site in accordance with the timetable imposed by the DENR, and to possibly charge violations thereof;

3. For DENR and Provincial Government of Aklan to fast track the identification and development of an alternative sanitary landfill site outside of Kalibo; and

4. For DENR and AKENRO to conduct regular testing of the water samples of the Sooc River and if possible establish tolerable levels of contamination