In a press conference, Mayor Jane Yap echoed the sentiment of the people – to deny entry to the proposed reclamation project in Tagbilaran City, Bohol, “We will not continue with all activities related to the proposed Tagbilaran City waterfront development project.”
Heeding the voice of the people, the mayor has officially declined the unsolicited proposal made by the Tagbilaran Waterfront Development Corporation (TWDC) that involves the reclamation of 153 hectares of land that is located along the coastal areas of Brgys. Mansasa, Poblacion I, Poblacion II, Cogon, Booy, and Taloto.
The unsolicited proposal was raised to the City Government of Tagbilaran as a way to bring economic progress through infrastructure development at a cost of P12 billion under a joint venture project, and it was agreed upon during the Fifteenth Sangguniang Panlunsod held on Sept. 8, 2023 that a public consultation is needed in order to study the proposal through the lens of its stakeholders, particularly the sectors that will be affected by the reclamation project.
A series of public consultations on the TWDC reclamation was held on Nov. 20, 22 and 23 with sectoral representatives including the Church, barangay communities, labor, tourism, transport, academe, fisherfolks, agriculture, and the general public in attendance.
The heartfelt sentiments of the people, including a statement made by Bishop Alberto “Abet” Uy, have reinforced Mayor Yap’s decision to say no to the reclamation project.
Mayor Yap, who is the youngest and first woman mayor of Tagbilaran City, states, “Our priority will always be our people and our natural environment. The City Government of Tagbilaran will always listen to the voice of the people through its mission of consultative and participative governance. As a woman leader and the mother of Tagbilaran City, it is my duty to nurture its people and environment. A mother always listens to her children in order to make decisions that will be for the benefit of all. Following the leadership example of my husband, former Mayor John Geesnell “Baba” Yap, we have always recognized that for real progress to be realized in the City of Tagbilaran, collaboration of all sectors in society is essential.”
She added: “Your spiritual life is the foundation of your life. Every other area of your life is built on top of your spiritual life; therefore, we will listen to the advice of our Church through the discernment of Bishop Abet. While we envision economic growth for Tagbilaran in order to provide more employment opportunities in our communities, we always consider the environmental impact of our economic policies and programs as a way to protect our rich natural resources for the future generations of Tagbilaranons. We take our role of responsible stewards of God’s creations to heart, as part of our mission to protect the trust that has been given to us by the People.”
“As one of the fastest developing cities in our province, we will always refer to our advocacy of balancing economic progress with environmental protection in making any executive decision. Tagbilaran will keep going, and not only that, it will continue to grow as we support the dreams of each Tagbilaranon toward shared progress in our beloved city,” the mayor concluded.