Amid concerns of dying coral reefs and degrading marine biodiversity on Paradise Reef, an official from the Department of Public Works and Highways – Region 11 (DPWH-11) assured anew that the construction of the Samal Island – Davao City (SIDC) Connector Bridge will only have minimal impact on the environment.
“We are following to the dot whatever they [Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)] recommend. So we have implemented environmental safeguards to at least minimize the [damaging] effects on our coral reefs,” said Dean Ortiz, DPWH-11 spokesperson, during Wednesdays Habi at Kape media forum at Ayala Malls Abreeza.
The (SIDC) is a P23.04-billion project involves the construction of a four-lane 3.98-kilometer bridge being implemented by the DPWH central office, and set to be opened to the public by 2027, but later moved to September 27, 2028.
Beneath the bridge is the Paradise Reef, which is home to 8 of the 16 seagrass species, a total of 118 species of both hard and soft corals (89 species of hard corals under 13 families, and 29 species of soft coral families), and 73 fish species mostly from the family of damselfishes (Pomacentridae), as stated by a study by researcher Filipina Sotto, from the environmental advocacy think tank FBS – Environment and Community Research and Development Services (FBS-ECReDS).
Dr. John Michael Lacson, who holds a doctorate degree in marine biology from the University of Texas, told MindaNews last Nov. 15 that around the size of 10 public school classrooms of coral reefs are now dead, blaming the DPWH for its ongoing SIDC bridge construction.
On the other hand, Carmela Marie Santos, executive director of the academe-based Ecoteneo, also said in a press conference on June 4 that around 63 square meters of coral reefs were destroyed since the bridge construction started.
But Ortiz said that they are using methods to “minimize effects of the construction to the environment,” such as debris catchments and silt curtains.
“The DENR would not have issued us an ECC [Environmental Compliance Certificate] if for example they observed that it is dangerous for the environment,” he said when asked about the environmentalists’ earlier findings.
A 2021 DENR-11 coral reef assessment obtained by MindaNews stated that the area rather have high denomination of rubble, sand, and silt; that there are many blocks of cement observed; hard corals were dispersed and in patches; strong underwater current produces murky or turbid water; and cellophane and plastic materials were floating and lying in the bottom area.”
DENR-11 said it studied the sea waters located in Barangay Limao and Barangay Caliclic in Samal Island, which were near the bridge construction, and concluded that the hard coral cover there is in “poor condition.”
Asked about the sustainability of these environmental safeguards, Ortiz said that “we are currently in on-land construction, and we have already prepared for what would happen” if the bridge construction would advance through the sea.
Ortiz said that as of Nov. 25, the civil works phase is already at 3.515 percent accomplishment, while the Detailed Engineering Design (DED) phase, which is 97.97 percent finished, is contributing to the 2.944 percent so far of the accomplishment of the bridge construction.
The SIDC project sparked controversy in May this year when the DPWH cut 200 trees to pave the way for the bridge construction.
Ortiz said that for every tree that was cut during the bridge construction, 100 trees would be planted as replacements.
Ocampo, a former broadcast journalist before running as first district city councilor, said he will lead the monitoring to make sure the DPWH fulfills its promise of planting trees. (Ian Carl Espinosa / MindaNews)
