A local group dedicated to work against the planned 153-hectare waterfront reclamation is now looking at building its support base and is initiating organizational moves in order to present a unified stance against the said reclamation plan.
A source from one of the insiders of this local group revealed that there are moves to reach out to other sectors and secure their support against the reclamation project. At the same time, several other groups have, in turn, reached out to the local group for the same purpose. In fact, same reports have bared that the local group has been working with the organization of parallel and core groups for the finishing touches of their plan.
Like-minded individuals and groups have already sent feelers to the main group for the latter to consider the willingness of people in backing up the opposition of the initial group concerned.
Per advice from an advocacy group on the environment, soliciting the support of several sectors will help boost the fight against the reclamation. The same advocacy group says that sectors from the youth, academe, professionals and the religious, are among those who will be consulted to form a solid and united front against the reclamation plans which will cause a huge negative impact on the health of the environment.
In several reclamation projects, the opposition groups come from various sectors and from all walks of life. This fact gives an impression that the community, as a whole, frowns upon the possibility of destroying the environment as a result of the reclamation plan.
While the issue on the reclamation is virtually in hibernation, with the city council to summon yet the interested parties to a public hearing, the local group is currently busy building its forces to go up against a Goliath.
The local group is now on the final stages of the crafting of the position paper, which will act as the springboard to launch actions against the reclamation project that will impact several coastal barangays in Tagbilaran City.
The idea is to place a development site which the oppositors think could lead to irreversible damage to the environment.
As it is, the group position is to instead develop areas within the mainland and develop these areas instead of thinking of building an offshore island through reclamation.
