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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Illegal excavation of sand embankment reported in Northern Samar

Illegal excavation of sand embankment reported in Northern Samar

Published Jul 9, 2020 12:15 pm

While Northern Samar was at the height of the community quarantine to contain the spread of the coronavirus disease, environment officials received a report on the illegal excavation of sand embankment along a beach area in Bonbon, Northern Samar.

Acting on a complaint by an overseas Filipino worker who is a native of Bonbon, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), through its Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO) in Northern Samar, ordered on April 20 the property owner to stop the demolition of a portion of sand embankment that protects residents from strong waves and storm surges.

(MANILA BULLETIN)

The case stemmed from a letter complaint dated April 11, 2020 sent by Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates-based Nelson Paredes to the Presidential Management Staff in Malacañang.  His complaint was forwarded to the DENR Action Center in Quezon City, which then referred the matter to the DENR-Eastern Visayas.

The DENR team led by PENRO-Northern Samar OIC Angelito Villanueva confirmed that a portion of the embankment measuring 821 square meters in area, 1.5 meters in depth, and an estimated 1,300 cubic meters of sand volume has been removed.

The embankment, located in Barangay Magsaysay, is approximately 225 meters from the shoreline with an elevation of 20 meters above sea level.

"Although the said embankment is located within alienable and disposable land and owned privately, scraping the portion of the land poses danger to the communities living along the coast," Villanueva explained.

"It could potentially cause landslide and endanger the lives of the people, or erosion that could lead to coastal degradation," he added.

Villanueva said investigation showed that the sand embankment was scraped before using a bulldozer to further flatten the way going to the private property to provide a good view of the sea. 

The excavation was discontinued following objections from the community.

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