By Antonio L. Colina IV Davao City – An environmental group based her has charged that a portion of Shrine Hills, a protected area considered an Urban Ecological Enhancement Sub-zone, has been turned into a dump site. “Shrine Hills was not declared Urban Ecological Enhancement sub-Zone just to be a dumping site,” Interface Development Interventions (IDIS) Executive Director ChinkiePelino-Golle said. She said her group’s concern has already been raised with the City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) and barangay officials of Barangay Matina Crossing, but  this has yet to be acted on. Golle asserted that the Shrine Hills must be protected from environmental degradation with proper solid waste management. However, an estimated area of 200 square meters was dumped with various wastes such as organic matter, solids, plastics, and even hair residual from salons while some of the wastes have already eroded downhill, she said. Under the 2013 Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance, the Shrine Hills has been classified as an “Urban Ecological Enhancement Sub-zone, or an area “intended for massive greening program for ecological enhancement in major urban zones as precautionary and pro-active approach to climate change adaptation and part of risk reduction management against flooding, landslide and inundation as the edges and slopes of the ridge or hill are found to be highly susceptible to landslide”. “I hope that the barangay will take action on this waste issue in Shrine Hills. They should closely monitor the area and should not allow dumping of wastes there,” she said. She called on residents to stop dumping waste in the area. In a Facebook post, the Sustainable Davao Movement complained of foul odor reported by the joggers, bikers, and devotees at the Shrine’s observation deck, purportedly emanating from the “dumping site.”