Department of Environment and Natural
Resources (DENR) Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo
Loyzaga has strongly urged the Municipality of
Sevilla to take immediate action to restore the
damaged facility and to collaborate with national
government agencies in the pursuit of sustainable
water resources management in the province of
Bohol.
In a letter dated November 10, 2023 addressed to
Sevilla Municipal Mayor Juliet B. Dano, Secretary
Yulo-Loyzaga emphasized that “it is our collective
responsibility to ensure the prudent and equitable
utilization of this vital resource for the benefit of all
stakeholders.
The letter was DENR’s response to Resolution No.
2023-149 of the Sangguniang Bayan of Sevilla,
Bohol requesting the National Water Resources
Board (NWRB) to inhibit the participation of Atty.
Analiza Rebuelta – Teh, Undersecretary for
Finance, Information Systems, and Climate
Change, in the ongoing investigation of the Petition
lodged by LGU Sevilla against LGU Balilihan,
which seeks to restrain the latter from extracting
water from Bugwak Spring.
Secretary Yulo-Loyzaga wrote that “It is essential
to emphasize that Bugwak Spring is a natural
resource under the management of the State,
represented by the DENR, which is duly mandated
to regulate the use of water resources to ensure
equitable sharing of the benefits for the welfare of
present and future generations of Filipinos.”
On the request of LGU Sevilla to inhibit USEC
Rebuelta-Teh, Loyzaga said that the
undersecretary is serving as one of her alternate
representatives and she has Secretary Loyzaga’s
trust and confidence to impartially chair the NWRB
as her alternate.
Secretary Loyzaga clarified that the NWRB is a
collegial body comprised of representatives from
various sectors involved in the administration and
prudent utilization of the country’s water resources.
“The issues related to water rights concerning
Bugwak Spring have been discussed with
Secretary Manuel M. Bonoan of the Department of
Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and
Secretary Benjamin C. Abalos, Jr. of the
Department of the Interior and Local Government
(DILG),” Loyzaga’s letter added.
Furthermore, Loyzaga in the same letter said that
“we are deeply concerned about the unwarranted
destruction of government-fund water
infrastructure at Bugwak Spring, which appears to
have been initiated by the Municipality of Sevilla.
We are aware of serious allegations that these
actions may have been influenced significantly by
private sector interests, causing conflicts between
local government units and national government
agencies.”