PARKLAND TO HODGEPODGE: Settlers choked Molo-Arevalo shoreline

By Rjay Zuriaga Castor

Nearly six decades after a law designated the Molo–Arevalo shoreline as a public park, the area has transformed into a mix of informal settlements, homes, and commercial establishments.

Republic Act No. 4767, or the “Caram Law,” enacted in 1966, declared the boulevard, adjacent public lands, and territorial waters from Molo to Arevalo as the Iloilo City Park.

The law prohibits both government and private entities from interfering with or encroaching on these areas to preserve them as public recreation and conservation zones.

However, the 2021–2029 Iloilo City Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP) noted that significant portions of the shoreline—from Barangay San Juan to Barangay Sto. Niño Sur—are now occupied by shanties and polluting structures.

In Molo, the CLUP cited residential encroachment as a major contributor to the city’s high coastal coliform levels, rendering the water unsafe for swimming.

It also pointed to untreated wastewater from commercial establishments along the Molo beachfront, particularly from San Juan Boulevard to Calumpang.

In Arevalo, the CLUP noted the beachfront is similarly lined with informal settlements, including residences and businesses.

The city government flagged these establishments for lacking wastewater treatment and practicing poor waste management, both of which contribute to the area’s high fecal coliform count.

As in Molo, coastal waters in Arevalo are also considered unsafe for public recreation.

CLUP sets major rehabilitation

The 2021–2029 CLUP outlines redevelopment plans aimed at restoring the shoreline to its original function as a public park.

Under the plan, the city will collaborate with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the United Architects of the Philippines to create an urban design master plan for the Molo–Arevalo foreshores.

The plan will identify zones for permitted activities such as parks, gardens, resorts, sports facilities, amphitheaters, convention centers, cultural spaces, and other forms of open-air recreation.

It also supports development programs anchored on livability, sustainability, and climate resilience.

For tourism, the CLUP highlights an urban design initiative specifically for the Iloilo City Park.

Under sports and recreation, this will include the Iloilo City Park Redevelopment Project, which is also designed to serve as a tsunami mitigation measure.

The project involves formulating detailed urban design plans to define the form, layout, and identity of the Molo–Arevalo Boulevard.

‘Timely and necessary’

Iloilo City Rep. Julienne “Jam” Baronda recently filed House Bill No. 4298, which seeks to repeal the Caram Law by reclassifying certain inalienable lands.

In her position paper obtained by Daily Guardian, Baronda described the measure as “timely and necessary.”

She said directly affected families would be granted formal land titles, ensuring protection from eviction, legal security, and inheritance rights.

Titled land, she added, can serve as collateral for loans to fund home improvements, small businesses, education, or livelihood projects.

“This turns static landholdings into dynamic assets that generate income and wealth,” she said.

She noted that titled properties can be rented out, sold, or used for micro-enterprises such as retail shops, workshops, or home-based businesses.

For the city, Baronda said reclassification would expand the tax base through real property taxation and enable better zoning enforcement and infrastructure investment.

She added that it would reduce informal settlements by integrating affected communities into the formal land market.

She also cited broader benefits such as improved land dispute resolution, clearer ownership records, and streamlined public infrastructure development.

On the economic front, she said titling could attract investment, stimulate commerce and construction, and promote inclusive growth by empowering marginalized landholders.

“Reclassifying lands from inalienable to alienable and disposable status is more than a legal adjustment—it is a measure of social justice, economic empowerment, and inclusive development,” she added.