Tagbilaran to convert

Elley, Banat-i as UBZ

TAGBILARAN CITY, BOHOL (PIA)—So how can the local government rein the development in Banat-I Hill to make sure that the potential landslides and flooding associated with messing with ground cover and major earth movements during construction, do not happen?

As the city and the provincial government regulates the development while ensuring environmental sustainability and preservation of one of Tagbilaran City’s most visible natural landmarks, there is only one direction, and the most reliable path is to legislate for Banat-I in Bool and nearby Elly Hill in Manga, Tiptip and Ubujan to be converted into urban biodiversity zones (UBZ), Mayor Jane Censoria Cajes-Yap said.

UBZs are designated areas aimed at protecting, restoring, and managing biodiversity while balancing ecological, social, and economic needs.

By declaring these zones, local governments recognize that even in heavily urbanized areas, natural ecosystems and species provide essential environmental services and contribute to quality of life.

A UBZ prioritizes the conservation of flora and fauna within urban areas, preserves green spaces, including forests, wetlands, riverbanks, and hillsides and oversees sustainable land-use management to reduce habitat fragmentation as a mitigating measure against flooding, landslides, while expanding recreational areas, nature awareness sites and urban ecology learning.

Here, areas retain native vegetation, wetlands, or other ecosystems while the local government regulates urban construction or industrial activity to minimize ecological impact, ecological corridors linking green spaces within the urban fabric are maintained and people can enjoy the park, trails, and recreational facilities without harming biodiversity.

The proposed legislation would then need the modification of current zoning and land use classifications while limiting or prohibiting construction, cutting of trees, levelling slopes and building imposing structures that harm biodiversity.

It would also require stricter environmental compliance like mandatory environmental studies, environmental impact assessments for projects to protect critical areas, forest patches and gain protection from encroachment, quarrying, or subdivision.

The declaration would also add another level of approval limitations where building permits or subdivision approvals can be conditioned on environmental mitigation plans, mandatory buffer zones to protect ecosystems from urban pressures.

Of the two hills, which lord over the whole of Tagbilaran City, at least Banat-I Hill is not a forest land, neither a protected area nor declared environmentally critical area, as what self-proclaimed environmentalists would want to impress.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has declared the hill as alienable and disposable since November 17, 1927, claims City Mayor Yap, in a social media post.

Without any impediment, property owners who can present titles of ownership of lots in the hill only need to get past government regulations for developing the site, the city mayor explained, noting that pseudo environmentalists have lashed at governments for the visible scar on Banat-I caused by the proposed billion peso phased construction of Central Visayas Cultural Hub in Bohol.

Initially proposed to be a cultural complex with a performance space, restaurant and viewing deck, the 5.17 hectare complex, would also have museums for provinces, a contemporary arts gallery, a local arts, culture and heritage training center with guest rooms and a grand open amphitheatre.

Not long after the ground-breaking of the National Commission on Culture and the Arts funded project with then governor Arthur Yap in November of 2021, earth moving equipment crawled in the project site, which would become a provincial government owned property.

As early as 2023, residents below the hill have started complaining of earth materials rolling the hills as construction debris that by January of 2024, the City Engineer’s Office has issued a stoppage order, citing safety concerns.

The flash floods that happened in Cebu and nearby provinces which allowed unbridled construction and mining activities also triggered similar issues in Tagbilaran.

With the building pressure, the Provincial Government convened stakeholders including Tagbilaran City Government, concerned national government agencies November 11, to discuss updates of the construction.

It was also then that another proposed Hall of Justice building was officially brought to light again. The reported ₱240 million 5 storey Hall of Justice building would sit in a half-hectare lot on Banat-I Hill.

The provincial government in its 2017-2022 investment plan put up the P300 million Hall of Justice project for the Regional Development Council and in reports, in 2020, then governor Arthur Yap consummated the lot donation for the project.

The Department of Justice however has not started the project yet, although the project is reportedly on coordination phase, according to reports.

Meanwhile, in December of 2021, reports of an attempt to build a low cost subdivision on top of one of the summits in Banat-I was reportedly stopped for failure to secure the necessary permits and government mandated Environmental Compliance Certificate.

The same report bared that private owners have started earth movements by bulldozing parts of the hill.

These have been the kindling stirring the provincial, city government and concerned agencies including stakeholders on the potential development risks in the hill that could bring to communities below.

During the meeting, Gov. Aumentado, who also showed concern for Tagbilaran City, underscored the importance of adopting preventive measures in light of the growing impacts of climate change and environmental degradation.

To this, Mayor Yap, through said Bohol and the City would move forward in a single direction.

“I am formally requesting our Sangguniang Panlungsod, led by Vice Mayor Adam Jala and our City Councilors together with Congressman Baba Yap, to pass an Ordinance and or a Congressional Bill declaring Banat-i Hill in Barangay Bool and Elly Hill in Barangays Manga, Tiptip and Ubujan as urban biodiversity zones,” Mayor Yap said.

This will ensure that the hills are protected, activities regulated, and the development in the area follows climate-resilience for the safety of our people and the preservation of natural landscapes, she added. (PIABohol)

REDESIGN AND SCALE DOWN. The multi billion peso Regional Cultural Hub would have to be redesigned into a simpler, climate-responsive and environmentally adoptive structure taking into account the environmental concerns and recommendations, assured Gov. Erico Aristotle Aumentado, during a meeting with Congressman John Geesnell Yap, City Mayor Jane Yap, the DENR, DOJ and cultural workers and stakeholders. (PIABohol/GO)