THE tourism plan of Rep. Lucy Marie Torres-Gomez for Lake Danao Natural Park (LDNP) is aborted after losing interest in pursuing her own brainchild. This was the impression gathered from an interview with two members of the Protected Areas Management Board (PAMB).
One of the members representing a mountaineering group said they were made aware of the congresswoman’s plan after Vince Rama of the congressional office showed them illustrations of the proposed structures. After that they never heard of anything else.
Late last year, Rep. Gomez boasted that she secured P15 million from the Philippine Tourism Authority to develop three tourism sites including LDNP. The plan for LDNP includes a floating pavilion with two guest rooms, a jetty, zipline and wakeboarding facilities.
Recently however, the camp of Rep. Gomez’s husband Richard has been telling Ormocanons in their barangay visits that they are no longer pursuing their plans for LDNP due to the obstruction of the local government unit (LGU). They will instead use the money to develop Sibugay Mountain Resort in neighboring Albuera town.
But the PAMB member clarified that the approval of projects at LDNP lies with them and not the LGU. “Proponents should identify areas where they will put up their development projects and comply with certain requirements,” she said, because the park is under the National Integrated Protected Areas System.
Another PAMB member who is based in Tacloban confirms that development projects must be thoroughly scrutinized and reviewed by the board. He sees no problem with Rep. Gomez’s plans except for the wakeboarding facilities which might contaminate the lake being a major source of potable water.
Rep. Gomez might have also been turned off by the Memorandum of Agreement (Moa) between PAMB and the LGU which designates three areas where the LGU can implement its development plans. This means the congresswoman will have to coordinate with the LGU if her plans fall on any of the three areas, the second source explained.
“Even if the PAMB members are excited of the project, a perspective (drawing) simply wouldn’t suffice,” he continues. But instead of going to the board, Rep. Gomez submitted her plan straight to the Environment Secretary but the latter still endorsed it back to PAMB for review. This was the last straw that prompted the congresswoman to pull out her plans for the lake.
City Tourism Officer Ira Bantasan confirmed that PAMB’s process is indeed strenuous but they have to follow to protect the environment. Even the construction of a simple comfort room (CR) has guidelines. Mayor Eric C. Codilla allotted P5 million for the Lake Danao’s development.
Under the LGU’s timetable, construction should have begun as early as last January or February. It submitted the requirements to the PAMB including the program of work and designs for review and evaluation. It is already September now but work hasn’t begun yet on the welcome signage, visitors’ kiosk, new CR and improvement of the existing view deck. Still, Mayor Codilla is willing to wait and make Lake Danao a premier tourist destination. by Gerardo C. Reyes, Jr.
(Issue of Sept. 12-18, 2011)
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