CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga—The provincial government, through Vice Gov. Dennis “Delta” Pineda, gave a marching order to local officials of Sasmuan town to remove all illegal fishponds and structures of informal settlers living along the river banks within five days.
This order is in line with the Supreme Court mandamus enjoining all concerned agencies and local government units (LGUs) to effect the clearing of waterways going to Manila Bay.
In a committee hearing held at the session hall of the provincial capitol this Wednesday, Pineda, members of the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Public Works and Highways-Mount Pinatubo Emergency (DPWH-MPE) and local officials discussed the much-needed action to fast track the activity.
Pineda said the LGU should act now on the situation of the river to avoid problems on perennial flooding and inconveniences of the affected families during calamities.
Pineda instructed Sasmuan Vice Mayor Renato Banting to coordinate with the fishpond operators and informal settlers to vacate within five days.
Arthur Punsalan, head of the Provincial Government Environment and Natural Resources Office, said 19 households living in coastal barangay of San Pedro, Sasmuan will be affected in the clearing operations. He said 80 percent to 90 percent of the informal settlers are not from Sasmuan.
Board Member Rosve Heson suggested families affected should be given financial assistance and a relocation site.
Lita Manalo, head of the DPWH-MPE offered a 5-hectare land in the coastal barangay of Malusac in Sasmuan where illegal settlers can be able to relocate. Pineda also pledged to give P10,000 worth of financial assistance to the families once relocated.
Joel P. Mapiles