Law On Land Use Plan Is Extremely Important-GTZ Official

August 26,2011

Law On Land Use Plan Is Extremely Important-GIZ Official
By Quirico M. Gorpido,.Jr.

San Roque, Macrohon, So.Leyte-A law on land use plan is extremely important as the blueprint in the proper utilization of a certain country’s land resources.
The abovementioned statement was part of Dr. Walter Salzer’s speech during a recent turnover of the P3M worth Mangrove Resource Environmental Learning Center here that were attended by Congressman Roger Mercado, Governor Damian Mercado, Vice-Governor Miguel Maamo,11, GTZ(GIZ) officials, some municipal Mayors,PIA-Maasin Staff, Tacloban/Maasin media and PENRMO personnel led by Eva Abad.
In an interview with the press Salzer, Program Director and Principal Adviser GIZ(German International Cooperation)EnRD program, explained that a country like the Philippines should have its own Land Use Plan where its provisions would serve as bases on how its land resources could be properly utilized for the benefit of the people.
“With a law on land use plan”, he said, “anybody cannot just occupy a lot where he wants without the approval of a government authority”.
H e estimated that about 15 to 20 percent of the Philippine population were living in the forests” And the government cannot just drive them away from their settlements since there’s no specific provisions and rules whether their forest occupancies were legal or illegal”, he pointed out.
“With the Land Use Plan their are specific provisions and rules to follow’, he said, “whether the inhabitants with no lands can settle in the forests. Whether this or that vast tract of land is for agricultural production or for housing projects where the squatters can be properly settled; where the areas for industrial production and cottage industry are to be located; whether part of the provincial government lands could be allotted for the construction of commercial buildings; whether a particular area is a protected area for endangered species and mangrove plantations, others”.
Salzer implied that without Land Use Plan there’s a perennially improper utilization of a country’s great percentage of lands that are even unproductive.
The GIZ official also urged the LGUs to enact in their respective jurisdictions their own LUP with specific rules and regulations that should be strictly followed.”The law’s provisions should be strictly implemented by punishing the violators. Laws must have teeth that will bite the violators”, he stressed.
Salzer further emphasized that a national law on Land Use Plan should be supported by the representatives in Congress. He strongly persuaded Congressman Mercado to give his full support of the LUP Bill in Congress, which if it has already been finished on its third reading, might have been approved the soonest.
The GTZ (now called GIZ) has been providing funds for various government in Southern
Leyte, particularly in relation to the conservation, protection and preservation of the environment, it was learned.
He underscored that mangrove plantations in various municipalities of the province should be sustainably conserved and preserved. Mangrove trees are the natural habitat and breeding places for various fish species. It also serves as breakwaters of huge waves and lessens the adverse effects of flashfloods.
Recalling past incidence of great floods as high price to pay for cutting the plantations of mangroves that were naturally grown in Burma along its deltas and rivers, thousands of people were killed,Salzer unfolded.
Asked by PDI correspondent Jani Carbonilla Arnaiz how much funds the German Government has already released to the different areas of the country relative to their various projects,the GIZ Program Director of EnRD divulged that it has already reached an estimated of P18B which is equivalent to 50M Euro.
The speaker furthermore disclosed that 90 to 95 percent of the total land area in the country needs a comprehensive land use. “One of the reasons why there’s huge destruction of natural resources and large part of land are left unproductive is because of the absence of a Land Use Plan”, he claimed.
(Quirico M. Gorpido, Jr.)

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GIZ Turns Over P3.2M MRELC Project In San Roque

June 24,2011

GTZ Turns Over P3.2M MRELC Project In San Roque

By Qurico M. Gorpido,Jr.

Brgy. San Roque,Macrohon,So.Leyte-The German Technical Cooperation(GTZ) now called GIZ(German International Cooperation) has turned over a P3.2M Mangrove Resource and Environmental Learning Center building here during the recent Friday.

Dr Walter Salzer,Program Director,GIZ enRD program has handed the symbolic key to Governor Damian Mercado with the presence of Congressman Roger Mercado and Vice-Governor Miguel Maamo,11.

The GIZ official disclosed that it took a long time before the German Ministry of Economics had finally released the funds for the aforesaid project.Salzer expressed his hope that the principal aim for the construction of the edifice could really serve its purpose. Like as learning center for the fisher folks and farmers, teaching concerned agencies to really achieve food security and to know the necessary knowledge of practicing sustainable development.

He also expressed his appreciation of Sogod Bay, but warned that in order to preserve the Bay there’s the need to apply environmental laws and fishery code seriously; stressing the cooperation of fishermen in the provincial level is of utmost importance.

The GIZ representative also urged the folks and officials in all coastal municipalities involved with mangrove plantations to protect and preserve them.

Recalling Burma’s cutting of all mangrove trees naturally grown along deltas to give way to opening up new rivers and other project, h e said, the people there have paid a high price of their denuding act when their areas were greatly inundated killing thousands of people. Mangrove trees, that are the natural habitat for fishes, also serve as blockades and breakwaters to flooding during heavy rains and typhoons.

Moreover, he urged Congressman Mercado to give his full support of the Land Use Plan Bill in Congress which is now in its second reading.

Salzer explained that with a law in Land Use Plan its provisions would serve as guidelines. “Which land is for the preservation of natural resources, which land for the sustainable development of any projects and which land are really designated for housing projects or which land is strictly devoted for agricultural development”, he said.

Congressman Mercado who expressed his profuse thanks to GIZ told Salzer that he will support for the approval of the Bill on Land Use Plan.

Both Governor Mercado and Vice-Governor Maamo also expressed their heartfelt thanks to GIZ for providing funds for the MRELC in Southern Leyte.

He also enjoined the Mayors to implement the environmental laws in their respective areas of jurisdiction.

The Governor further said the provincial government shall be appropriating funds for the maintenance of the MRELC.He revealed the provincial government with DENR MOA has targeted 10,000 trees to be planted. “We have started planting trees in a 1,200 hectares in Malitbog area”,he said.

Eva Abad, PENRMO head, claimed that the launching of Mangrove Greenbelt Project in 10 municipalities here could serve as mitigating measure to combat climate change.

She said the training center is also aim to: 1)Educate the fisherfolks,farmers and sundry on the importance of the preservation and conservation of our environmental resource 2)Showcasing mangrove farming and aqua-culture; 3) Conduct training skills in the protection and conservation of marine life, agricultural development,etc.

Furthermore, the GIZ Principal Adviser on enRD program ahs turned over various gadgets and equipments to 8 municipal Mayors to strengthen their Bantay Dagat activities on illegal fishing.

Namely: lifevests, megaphones,GPS equipments,searchlights,waterproof flashlights.

(Quirico M. Gorpido,Jr.)

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3) Provincial Governor /Damian G. Mercado, tel. no.(053)570-9018.