CEBU CITY — Heavy rains on Sunday, November 7, did not stop around 200 residents from holding another protest against a planned reclamation project in Consolacion town, northern Cebu.
The other round of protest saw residents of Sitio Baha-Baha in Barangay Tayud gather on the shorelines to express opposition to the 235.80 hectare Seafront City reclamation project.
A group of fathers from the coastal community also collected shells to show that the area is in marine resources. They later cooked the shells and some crabs that they collected and ate them for breakfast.
Fisherfolks coming from neighboring communities also joined the protest action. The group also signed the petition asking President Rodrigo Duterte to stop the reclamation project's implementation.
It was the second round of protest that was initiated and participated by fisherfolks who depend on the waters of Tayud for their livelihood.
On October 17, around 50 fishermen from the neighboring Sitio Bagacay also set out to sea to protest against the reclamation project that will be implemented by the Municipal Government of Consolacion and the La Consolacion Seafront Development Corporation (LCSDC).
Residents opposing the project have also requested an audience with Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma to seek guidance.
Dr. Filipina Sotto of the FBS-Environment and Community Research and Development Services, a Cebu-based think tank that focuses on environmental issues, had already warned of irreversible damage on marine resources if the reclamation project is implemented.
This could result to the destruction of the 75 species of corals and seven mangrove species that are found in the sea of Consolacion town.