The Capiz Times

Capiz folk pin high hopes on GMA to solve destructive floods

Panay River Basin Development Council pushed

Muslim couple tagged ‘pushers’

Hotels, resto owners band together

Capiz folk pin high hopes on GMA to solve destructive floods

ROXAS CITY — Capiceños and their leaders are hoping that the perennial flooding in Capiz will be properly addressed during the term of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

They have brought the problem of flooding and pushed for its solution before four succeeding Presidents — Ferdinand Marcos, Corazon Aquino, Fidel Ramos and Joseph Estrada — but not one was able to respond to the flood problem squarely.

Thus, when President Arroyo visited Iloilo recently to, among others, dialogue with the Western Visayas officials, she was confronted with the issues of flooding in Capiz and how her administration can help in solving such long-drawn problem plaguing Capiceños for years.

This time, Capiz residents and their leaders hope there would be no more rhetorics or empty promises but concrete action on the part of the President and her officials.

Capiz officials have prepared a draft of an executive order creating the Panay River Basin Development Council that will strengthen the Task Force Tinagong Dagat by providing it with the necessary powers and resources to implement its goals and objectives.

The task force was created following the Aug. 30, 1993 visit of then President Ramos to Capiz primarily to dismantle illegally constructed fishpond dikes in the Tinagong Dagat Bay in Pontevedra town believed to have impeded the free flow of water and caused massive flooding in the province.

However, due to lack of powers and resources, the task force was not able to carry out its mandate as expected. Out of the 74 fishponds with illegal dikes identified by the task force, only 34 were demolished. There were reports that at least eight fishponds with illegal dikes have been reconstructed right under the noses of authorities.

Capiz district engineer Orlando Panaguiton and DPWH-Capiz employee Julius Abela were called to Malacañang Tuesday to finalize the draft creating the Panay River Basin Development Council in time for President Arroyo's Monday visit to Iloilo.

Abela was optimistic the President would give her nod to the creation of the said multisectoral council for the rehabilitation of the Panay River Basin. Besides, Abela said, the expectations of Capiz residents and their officials on President Arroyo on the matter of attending to the flood problem in Capiz were very high.

Among the salient proposals outlined in the Executive Order which would be properly presented by Gov. Vicente Bermejo to the President are:

A multi-sectoral council for the rehabilitation of the Panay River Basin shall be created to seek judicious solutions to the elimination of the three main causes of widespread flooding in Capiz-erosion of the denuded mountains comprising the watershed of the Panay River; inappropriate farming system; and illegal construction of fishpond dikes at the Tinagong Dagat Bay.

A Legal Panel shall be created as the legal arm of the Council. The panel shall be responsible for all problems/issues involving the functions or operations of the Council and its members in accordance with the scope of their authorities granted by the Office of the Solicitor General.

Appropriation for the year 2002 and the succeeding years amounting to P10-million per year for the operation of the Council shall be incorporated in the budget of the Office of the President.

The Council shall be given police powers and pertinent authority to effectively implement/enforce its policies, guidelines as well as its thrusts and missions.

All member agencies shall prepare their respective programs on the development and rehabilitation of the Tinagong Dagat watershed area and river basin and submit a report to the Office of the President through the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas within six months.

Panay River Basin Development Council pushed

The Panay River Basin with its catchment of 2,181 kilometers is located in the Northeastern part of the Panay Island in Western Visayas Region and covers almost the entire area of Capiz province. It is deemed very important in the socio-economy of the province.

However, frequent floods including major floods occurring in 1973, 1984, 1990, 1990, 1993, 1994 and 2000 have caused serious damages on the Capiceños' lives and property. The floods have been considered a hindrance in realizing sustainable development in the basin.

The province has a total agricultural area of 263,317 hectares, 55,296 hectares of which has already severely eroded. Almost all of the 16 municipalities of Capiz including the capital Roxas City are primarily drained by Panay River which emanates from Nacuron Mountain range straddling Capiz and Aklan towns.

Continuous siltation in this range affects fishponds, rice production and the living conditions of the people.

The Council has set up its specific objectives as follow:
* To enhance the free flow of water along the Panay River system towards the Tinagong Dagat Bay by demolishing the dikes of illegally constructed fishponds and dredging of at least 30 kilometers heavily silted major river systems;
*To ensure a year-round adequate supply of water for power generation and irrigation of at least 11,700 hectares of farmlands within the service areas of the national and communal irrigation systems. This will help sustain rice production in the province through the construction of multi-purpose water-impounding dams and small water impounding systems;
*To rehabilitate and protect at least 1,200 hectares of watershed areas and 188 hectares of waterways protective zones through vegetative and engineering methods.
*To eliminate or minimize destructive land uses and practices within the watershed areas and waterways protection zones of the Panay River system by organizing, empowering and mobilizing community members as active partners in watershed rehabilitation and management; and
*Provide sustainable livelihood options to the local residents who are depending on forest, land and water resources for their daily sustenance.

Muslim couple tagged ‘pushers’

ROXAS CITY — Muslim couple Alvin Pindato alias "Alvin Pundato," 29, and Mona Pindato, 32, were arrested by the Provincial Anti- Illegal Drugs Task Force (PAIDTAF) headed by Sr. Insp. Ricardo Alba during the raid June 12.

The couple are natives of Marawi City, Lanao Del Sur temporarily residing on Premier de Mayo St. here.

The suspects denied they were into illegal drugs.

Mona said they were selling RTW items. But she admitted that her husband was using drugs.

It was a certain Bobby Bandas, their cousin from Sara, Iloilo who actually sells drugs, she clarified.

Meanwhile, Bobby's family said that there is a conflict between Bobby and Alvin. That is why Alvin pointed to Bobby as the real drug pusher.

Sr. Insp. Ricardo Alba said that Bobby Bandas is also included in the search warrant but he was able to escape during the raid.

The search warrant dated June 10 against Alvin Pindato, Mona Pindato and   Bobby Bandas were issued by Executive Judge Salvador Gubaton of Regional Trial Court branch 14.

Alba stressed that the suspects are but big-time drug pushers because they are transacting business through cellular phones. They also bring in a great volume of illegal drugs here, Alba adedd.

Selling RTW items and housewares are just their front to cover up their illegal business, Alba added.

Seized during the raid were a big pack of suspected shabu, a small pack containing suspected marijuana and a tea bag of crystalline substance.

Also recovered were 5 pieces of disposable lighters, a pair of scissors, two pieces of aluminum foil, one set pack of small plastic tea bag, one piece of live ammunition of .38 revolver and a P550 cash.

Barangay 9 chairman Roberto Bacay said the suspects were new to him and that he did not know the real nature of their business.

Hotels, resto owners band together

ROXAS CITY — Owners of hotels, resorts and restaurants here have banded themselves into the Capiz Hotel, Resorts and Restaurants Association (CAHRRA) to improve the services in their sector, as well as contribute to local tourism promotion and socioeconomic developments efforts.

CAHRRA president Aries Christopher Alvarez said the association also seeks to foster unity and working relationships among its members.

Alvarez and other officers of the association were inducted into office during its induction and acquaintance night held last June 11 at MVW Restaurant and Tourist Inn here with Department of Tourism Regional Director Edwin Trompeta as guest speaker.

Trompeta said the government is banking on the private sector and the business community to lead in the development of the country's tourism industry. He cited CAHRRA's intention to help in this effort.

Vice Gov. Victor Tanco Sr. and city administrator Rodolfo Maestro represented Gov. Vicente Bermejo and Mayor Antonio del Rosario, respectively at the occasion. Also present were provincial tourism office Alfonso Bediones Jr. and city tourism office Boy Aguirre.

CAHRRA tourism secretary Reubin Yap, one of the prime movers of the association, said he was heartened by the response of the members to join the group and lay down a development agenda that would redound to the local economy and tourism.