CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – Vendors are worried about the possible immediate closure of the fish landing area in Barangay Bulua in this city after the operator received a notice of violation from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
THE fish landing area in Barangay Bulua, Cagayan de Oro City. (Franck Dick Rosete)
Hundreds of laborers and business owners would be affected, especially if there is no new location for them, a lady vendor said.
She hoped that the city government would help them prevent the worst-case scenario.
According to the City Local Environment and Natural Resources Office (CLENRO), the infraction is due to the non-functional wastewater treatment facility, a clear violation under Republic Act No. 9275 or the Philippine Clean Water Act of 2004.
The absence of the facility caused an unbearable smell within the area.
CUENCA (Franck Dick Rosete)
Engr. Armen Cuenca, department manager of CLENRO, said that the area in Barangay Bulua, which is owned by a private company, was supposed to be a temporary fish landing area during the time of late Mayor Vicente Emano after the previous location in Agora Terminal in Barangay Lapasan was hit by fire.
But it apparently became permanent after it was allegedly neglected by the past two administrations.
The notice of violation was issued to the private company that owns the area, but the company, the CLENRO chief said, did not want to handle the wastewater treatment facility as it was only temporarily used by the city government.
Cuenca asserted that there is already a cease-and-desist order from the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) of the DENR-Northern Mindanao but it has not been served.
Mayor Rolando Uy wrote a letter to the EMB requesting a temporary lifting of the order for one year, worrying about its possible effect to the city’s economy.
But the city government was instead tasked by EMB to provide a well-detailed and concrete plan because of the urgency of the matter.
Cuenca said he has no idea if the mayor’s appeal was granted.
“I think that was in December (last year), we already talked about transferring the (fish landing area). So, that’s why he asked me to find a lot,” Cuenca said on Thursday, February 8.
The city government is targeting to complete the acquisition of a 3.1-hectare land in Barangay Bonbon here where the wastewater treatment facility will be built and the new fish landing area will be situated this year. These will also be targeted for completion within this year.
While waiting for new facilities, the city government will help maintain the cleanliness of the fish landing area, urging vendors to sell their products wholesale, which prevents them from cutting fish and extracting internal organs that cause foul smell.
The lady vendor is fine with the plan of transferring but expressed hope that retailers within the vicinity of the fish landing area will be included in the transfer, as selling is their only source of income.
Cuenca said these vendors situated beside the fish landing area should be placed inside the market.
The Bulua fish landing area caters to transporters mostly from Zamboanga and General Santos City, the source of various fish vendors from different public markets in this city.