By Pearl Gumapos
The National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) on Thursday condemned the “Smart City” reclamation project in front of Dumaguete City, stressing that said project will have negative effects on adjacent ecosystems.
“The proposed massive reclamation project to build a “smart city” will negatively impact these biodiverse-rich MPAs directly or indirectly and will disturb the vertical connectivity between the shore/shallow to deeper species assemblage,” NAST said in a statement.
“Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) on adjacent ecosystems, including those in neighboring islands, must be considered in the proposed 174-hectare reclamation project,” it added.
The P23-billion Smart City project is being envisioned as a mixed-use commercial and residential area which will feature, among others, business hubs, condominiums, malls, hospitals, and a docking port for a planned yacht club.
NAST further said that it should have been incumbent on the proponents of the project to disclose to the public “the technical, legal, and due diligence reviews done on the sociology, ecology, and the economics of the project, and for the government to hold public consultations/fora for the open discussion/scrutiny, verification, and validation of the project documents.”
NAST said that as a part of due process, approving and endorsing the project should be revoked until transparent public consultations are made.
“As part of due process and in consonance with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the action to indorse and approve the contract for a project with potential significant environmental and socio-economic impacts should be rescinded until the exercise of transparent public reviews/consultations of all the areas that will be impacted by this project have been done with diligence, accountability, and good governance ensured,” it said.
NAST also cited the National Integrated Protected Area System (NIPAS) Act of 1992 or Republic Act No. 7582 which declares that it is the policy of the State “to secure for the Filipino people of present and future generations the perpetual existence of all native plants and animals through the establishment of a comprehensive system of integrated protected areas.”
“The law further states that effective administration of these areas is possible only through cooperation among national and local governments and concerned private organizations consistent with the principles of biological diversity and sustainable development,” it said.
NAST also said that Dumaguete City has historically committed to protect its marine ecosystems and to secure the fisheries-based livelihoods of its people by establishing four marine protected areas (MPAs) over the past 20 years, and should continue to do so.
Said MPAs have a total area of approximately 104 hectares and are situated off barangays Bantayan, Lo-oc, Mangnao, and Banilad.
These MPAs are part of a system of protected coral reefs, seagrass beds, and soft-sediment ecosystems that are meant to boost fisheries productivity, conserve marine biodiversity, and support tourism in Negros Oriental and the Central Visayas area. -rir
