The Bohol Tribune published as its banner story last Sunday, the decision of the 19th Division of the Court of Appeals dismissing the petition filed by Oasis Leisure Islands Development Inc., (Oasis) with regard to the proposed Panglao reclamation project. The said project was under a Joint Venture Development Agreement (JVDA) between the administration of the late and former Gov. Erico Aumentado and Oasis, represented by its Chairman Norris C. Oculam.
Sentiments can change with time, but this is not the case for the people of Panglao.
Until now, Panglaoanons remain opposed to the reclamation project, which aimed to reclaim 450 hectares of land off the bay of Panglao town.
The plan was to develop the reclaimed area into a resort and park complex.
First proposed in 2009, the reclamation project was ultimately cancelled in 2011 for posing as a danger to the environment of the said town.
Although it seems that the reclamation project will not be moving forward, the Panglaoanons still remember how they stood against the project, and their views remain the same, years later.
“That [reclamation project] is our biggest fear in our lives,” Angeles Arcay-Valdez, a barangay kagawad of Doljo, said.
“Akoang advocacy is ang kadagatan angay jud ma-enjoy sa next generation, to the other generation, to the end of time,” she added.
“Kung moabot ang maong hulga sa reclamation, unsa kahay makita sa among mga kabataan? Wa na mi’y ikapamana na mga kayutaan kung di kana ra jung dagat. Amo gayud nang panalipdan,” the barangay kagawad quipped.
Arcay-Valdez shared that she was one of the people who protested against the scheme when she came to know that it was proposed.
Sans any political skirmish, her main concern is the impact of the reclamation project on the local people’s livelihood and normal way of living.
Other people in the area share the same sentiment, and they still fear the possibility of the project getting resurrected in the future.
FEAR OVER RESURRECTION
A number of fisherfolks in Panglao expressed fear over the resurrection of the proposed reclamation project now that another Aumentado is vying for the gubernatorial seat in the May 2022 polls.
A group of fishermen, who requested that their names be withheld, expressed their opinion regarding the matter.
One of the fishermen said, “Nitabang baya si Sir Oculam ni Cong. Aumentado sa iyang pagkadagan karon isip gobernador. Posible gyud naay kasabutan ana. Mahadlok ko nga gamiton nila ang ilang gahum kung makalingkod man simbako sila aron ipadayon ang reclamation dinhi sa Panglao. Mawad-an intawn mi ug panginabuhian. Unsa naman among pangitaan? Unsaon man namo pagbuhi sa among pamilya?”
Another fisherman chimed in and said, “Wala man gani na sila magpahibawo namo nga mga lumulupyo dinhi nga maghimo sila ug reclamation sa among lungsod. Mura man gud na sila ug nakaminus namo kay mga mananagat raman mi mao siguro wala sila mananghid. Natingala nalang mi kay nabalita na nga nagpirmahanay na diay si Aumentado ug kadtong Oculam ug contrata nga maghimo sila ug reclamation dinhi.”
Results of the litigation between Oasis and the Provincial Government of Bohol (PGBh) revealed that any action based on the JVDA is illegal.
In this regard, Oasis’ reclamation project will not happen any time soon. But no one can predict the future for certain. The reclamation project might still happen under a new company, within a new administration–no one really knows, another resident said.
For now, the people of Panglao, like those making a living off the shores of barangay Doljo, can rest easy.
Yet, they still remember.
“Ampo lang lagi mi na di madayon ang reclamation diri ba. Among pangitaan, ma apektohan pod mi,” an unnamed local fisherman said.
“Ang panagat namo. Mawalaan mi sa panagat. Among lang gi ampo na dili madayon ang reclamation diri,” he added.
EX-MAYOR ISSUES WARNING
In a radio program entitled, “Lumad Panglaoanon ug Kalibutan” which is anchored by former Panglao Mayor Doloreich Dumaluan over 91.1 Balita FM, and aired on Feb. 8, 2022, he expressed his jubilations over the dismissal of the petition filed by Oasis.
He said, “Dako ning isyuha. Nalipay ta sa supporta ni kanhi Gov. Edgar Chatto kay sa ilang panahon ila gyong gi-junk kay nakita man nila nga makadaot gyud ang maong reclamation. So, mao na nga kita magbinantayon. Kitang tanang Panglaoanon, ayaw mo pagtoo nga nahuman na ni kay naa pa gihapoy nagpaabot ani sa hustong panahon. Mao bitaw nga naa gyud ko mosupporta ni Gov. Art Yap kay nahibaw ko nga naa diha si Edgar Chatto, sila si Rene, ug Gov. Art mismo di sila gustog reclamation. Once nga simbako-simbako lang, mosipyat ang taga-Panglao, ang mga tawo sa Bohol, pagtudlo [pagpili] ni Aumentado, kana pukawon na pod pagbalik nila. Pukawon na pod nila ang ilang reclamation project. Kini makadaot. Nahibaw-an naman nato karon kung unsa ka importanti ning panahon sa pandemya ang atong baybayon karon, naa ta mabuhi tanan.”
CAPITOL EXEC HAPPY BUT SHOCKED OVER CA DECISION
Kevin Damalerio, an Executive Assistant to Gov. Arthur Yap said, he was happy to know that the 19th Division junked the appeal filed by the company of Oculam.
However, he was also shocked upon reading the decision of the CA as the latter disclosed the specifics of the JVDA.
“Nakurat ko nga ang JVDA was actually signed 10 days before mohawa pagka-Gobernador si Erico Aumentado aron pulihan ni [then] Gov. [Edgar] Chatto. Murag klaro nga gidali-dali gyud nila ni, klaro nga midnight deal”, Damalerio said.
He added, “Pero mas nakurat ko nga ang value sa yuta according sa JVDA was priced at P100 per square meter. In 2009 or 2010, murag mokabat naman sa P10,000 pesos to P20,000 ang fair market value per square meter ang beach front sa didto sa Panglao. Nganong P100 raman intawn gibutang nila nga value sa JVDA?”
Damalerio further said, “Sa atoa pa, kung simbako ug nadayon pani nga reclamation project ang makuha ug masulod sa panudlanan sa Provincial Government of Bohol moabot ra ug P450 Million out of the 450 hectares nga reclamation area? Kadakong binuang, kung sundon nato ang fair market value sa yuta adtong panahona, dapat ang makuha ug masulod sa panudlanan sa Bohol niana, mokabat man unta ug P45 billion. Dako kaayo ug deperensya. Maayo ra gyud napugngan ni nga deal kay gawas sa makadaut sa kalikupan sa Panglao ug makaapekto sa panginabuhian sa atong mga kaigsuonang mananagat didto, tinunto pa gyud ang kasabutan tungod kay alkansi ang gobyerno.”
The Bohol Tribune asked Damalerio about his comment regarding the fear of the Panglaoanons over a possible resurrection of the Panglao reclamation project if another Aumentado will win the governorship.
He said, “Dako gyud ang posibilidad ana. Timan-an nato nga si Norris Oculam, duro-duro baya niyang pangumpanya ron para ni Aris. Kauban baya sila ug partido. Dili gyud layo ang posibilidad nga naay kasabutan na sila nga ibalik ning reclamation project ug simbako silay modaug. Unsa man pud diay ang stand ni Aris Aumentado kabahin aning reclamation project? Mura man ugnagpakahilom ra siya ana.”
