EMB director silent on Tapaz’s persona non grata tag

By Felipe V. Celino

ROXAS CITY, CAPIZ – Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Mines and Geosciences Bureau (DENR-MGB) Region 6 Director Cecilia L. Ochavo-Saycon has remained silent on the persona non grata resolution recently passed by the Sangguniang Bayan of Tapaz.

Reports indicate that MGB Region 6 is awaiting feedback from its central office regarding the Tapaz local government’s resolution, led by Mayor Roberto “Nonong” Palomar, which declared Saycon persona non grata or unwelcome in the town.

The Tapaz LGU passed the resolution due to Saycon’s failure to act on their request for an Industrial Sand and Gravel (ISAG) permit.

The permit was intended for the extraction of gravel and sand for the construction and rehabilitation of municipal and barangay roads leading to upland areas in Tapaz.

As a result of the delayed ISAG permit, the LGU said it has been unable to provide basic services to residents, particularly those in the hinterlands.

The resolution, which declares Saycon unwelcome in the entire town of Tapaz, was unanimously approved by the Sangguniang Bayan on August 27, 2024.

Copies were sent to DENR Region 6 Officer-in-Charge Executive Regional Director Raul T. Lorilla and other relevant government agencies.

In an interview on September 13, Mayor Palomar said the town filed its ISAG application on April 5, 2023.

More than a year and four months later, despite complying with all requirements and allocating government funds for the application process, the MGB has yet to issue the permit.

Palomar added that multiple follow-ups were made, and a resolution was passed urging the MGB to expedite the permit’s issuance, but their requests went unanswered.

“The delay in granting the permit has interrupted national government-funded projects, particularly the End Local Communist Armed Conflict (ELCAC) program, and suspended the delivery of basic services to our constituents, which is grossly disadvantageous to the economic development of the municipality,” the resolution stated.

Daily Guardian sought comments from the provincial government.

However, Ronald Allan Cullo, acting head of the Capiz Environment and Natural Resources Office (CaPENRO), said his office has no jurisdiction over ISAG permits, as the MGB is the sole agency authorized to issue them.

In 2018, Tapaz also declared District Engineer Dene Baldonado of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) 2nd Engineering District persona non grata for realigning the budget of projects intended for the town to another municipality.

Mayor Palomar expressed surprise upon learning that a PHP 467-million budget allocated by former President Rodrigo Duterte for Tapaz projects never reached the town. He said the amount was intended for the construction of the municipal building and the public market.

“No major projects were given to our town by Baldonado,” Palomar said.

He recalled that in 2018, he requested infrastructure projects for Tapaz from Duterte, who agreed, particularly for the construction of farm-to-market roads in 22 upland villages.

However, Palomar discovered that the PHP 1.2-billion budget for these projects was realigned to Dumalag, the location of the 2nd Engineering District and the hometown of then Capiz Second District Representative Fredenil Castro, who is now the governor of Capiz.