Rocks blasted, trees felled along Chico river; 15 M projet hit

 Rocks along  the banks of the  Chico River  serving  as natural flood  barriers are threatened  of blasting with the construction of an 80 meter long   P15 million  flood control  project here along the banks of the Chico River at  sitio At-ato.

By Gina Dizon

BONTOC , MOUNTAIN PROVINCE- Rocks along  the banks of the  Chico River  serving  as natural flood  barriers are threatened  of blasting with the construction of an 80 meter long   P15 million  flood control  project here along the banks of the Chico River at  sitio At-ato.

This, along with some 100 trees felled in project site said lot owner Grace Dayag as she  filed letters of complaint against private persons Mark Malabong and Mauricio Malabong that reached  the regional office of  the department of environment and natural resources (DENR) and the provincial office of the Mountain Province district engineering office (MPDEO).

In  her letter to DENR, Dayag noted the alleged destruction of  trees  and irrigation ditch and  dumping of excavated rocks and soil  in violation of the Clean Water Act.    

The P15 million project is  funded  from the regular program  of the MPDEO and awarded to JBA Construction who began works early this year.

In an interview, Dayag said her family has been planting ipil-ipil and other tree species in their lot near the river bank  that earlier served as a ricefield worked on by her parents in the earlier days.

In her complaint forwarded to MPDEO early this year,  Dayag said there was  no consultation with her or her family before the project started.

Dayag  also  forwarded her complaint to the  Bontoc  municipal police station against brothers   Mark and Mauricio Malabong  citing  alleged trespassing and destruction of her fence.