GUIMARAS officials questioned some rehabilitation projects in
the province that are in areas not affected by an oil spill in 2006.
Online news site The News Today (www.thenewstoday.info)
reported that Guimaras Gov. Felipe Nava said the DENR livelihood projects, even
those in unaffected areas, use rehabilitation funds.
"I'm not contented with what's happening. We are in the dark
and we don't know if these are beneficial to the people of Guimaras. I think we
should correct this (because) we are wasting precious money," Nava said.
The livelihood projects for the areas affected by an oil
spill in August 2006 cost some P35.451 million, with P29.7 million intended for
Guimaras Island alone.
The fund is part of the P130 million allotted to the DENR
from the P867.4-million rehabilitation fund for areas affected by an oil spill
caused by they sinking of the M/T Solar 1.
DENR projects include the production and utilization of "sibukao"
in Barangay Taminla and bamboo production and processing in Barangay Dagsaan.
Both villages are in Buenavista town.
Solar I, chartered by Petron Corp., sank in stormy seas off
Guimaras spilling more than 2.1 million liters of bunker fuel oil it was
transporting from Bataan to Zamboanga.
DENR Regional Technical Director Alicia Lustica said the
projects benefit 60 households in Dagsaan and 150 residents in Taminla.
But Jimmy Baban, provincial planning and development officer,
said the projects should be focused in Nueva Valencia and Sibunag towns.
Nueva Valencia is the worst hit by the oil spill of the
province's five municipalities. Sibunag was also affected because the oil spill
hit the southwest portion of the island.
Baban pointed out that Buenavista, located in the northeast
section of Guimaras and where the DENR projects are located, was hardly affected
by the oil spill.
"The rehabilitation fund is supposed to be given to those who lost their
livelihood during the oil spill," said Baban.
