CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, PAMPANGA — Vice Governor Dennis “Delta” Pineda ordered local officals of Sasmuan to remove illegal fishponds and informal settlers situated along Sasmuan River in five days.
In a committee hearing held at the session hall of the Provincial Capitol this Wednesday, Vice Gov. 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 implementation of the DPWH-MPE desilting project.
The Vice Governor said government unit should act now on the situation of the river to avoid problems on perennial flooding and inconveniences of the affected families during calamities.
Vice Governor instructed Sasmuan Vice Mayor Renato Banting to coordinate with the fishpond operator and informal settlers to vacate within five days.
According to Engr. Arthur Punsalan, head of the Provincial Government Environment and Natural Resources Office (PGENRO), nineteen households living in barangay (village) San Pedro, Sasmuan will be affected in the clearing operations.
Punsalan added that eighty to ninety percent of those 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 five hectare land in Barangay (village) Malusac in Sasmuan where illegal settlers can transfer.
Vice Governor Pineda also pledged to give P10,000 worth of financial assistance to the families once transferred.
Meanwhile, the committee created a technical working group (TWG) that will be responsible in the surveying of the river.
The TWG is headed by Board Member Nestor Tolentiono and composed of the Provincial Assessor, Provincial Legal Officer, PGENRO, Provincial Engineers Office, CENRO, and District Engineers.
The hearing was attended by Board Members Cherry Manalo, Arthur Salalila, Salvador Dimson Jr, Anthony Josph Torres, Rosve Henson, Teddy Tumang, Nestor Tolentino, and Gerome Tubig.
BY LIEZEL CAYANAN
