Aquino’s tough choice: Disrupt beach or forest?

Natashya Gutierrez

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Aquino’s tough choice: Disrupt beach or forest?
But President Benigno Aquino III says the benefits of the connecting road between Oriental and Occidental Mindoro will outweigh the difficulties in its construction

MANILA, Philippines – The government plans to build a circumferential road in Oriental Mindoro that is expected to increase tourism and commerce in the province. The problem? The road will disrupt either the beach or the forest.

On Friday, August 29, President Benigno Aquino III explained to residents that about 20 kilometers of road have yet to be built to connect the northern part of Oriental Mindoro to Occidental Mindoro.

The government’s dilemma in building the Abra de Ilog-Puerto Galera section, however, lies in the environmental effect of the construction.

Ang problema ho ang guguluhin natin either ‘yung beach na merong mga setback na kailangan or ‘yung forest, na ‘yung mga tinatawag nating pinagtatanggol ang kalikasan, aalma naman,” he said.

(The problem is we will either disrupt the beach which will cause setbacks, or the forest, which environmental activists will oppose).

So ang pinagpipilian ho ng DPWH (Department of Public Works and Highways) ngayon, sinong magagalit sa kanila: ‘yung mga gustong mag-preserve ng coastline for tourism purposes o ‘yung gustong mag-preserve ‘nung rain forest.”

(So this is what the DPWH is trying to decide on now. Who will they anger: those who want to preserve the coastline for tourism purposes, or those who want to preserve our rainforest).

The President said this was part of the role of the executive, and “something we have to do.”

Ang labo namang kalsadang hindi konektado, di ba? Sa tuktok e bigla na lang may bente kilometros na hindi maidikit. ‘Pag dinikit mo naman may magagalit sa’yo,” he said.

(It doesn’t make sense to have roads that aren’t connected, isn’t it? In between there is a 20-kilometer gap. But if you connect it, someone is bound to get mad at you).

He said, however, that the benefits the road will bring will outweigh the bad, adding it will boost tourism and create livelihood for residents. He also said this would hasten the trade of products and services.

Aquino vowed to “minimize the impact on the environment” and expressed hope that the “road needed by the people” will finally be constructed. 

Aquino was in Puerto Galera for the day where he was briefed on the major infrastructure projects in Oriental Mindoro. He was scheduled to visit the Philippine National Police Regional Headquarters Firing Range in the afternoon, but was forced to cut his visit short to monitor the standoff in Golan Heights between Filipino peacekeepers and Syrian rebels.

Aside from roads, Aquino said the government is also rehabilitating ports and airports in Mindoro, including airports in Pinamalayan, San Jose, Lubang and Calapan, and ports in San Jose, Calapan, Bulalacao.

He said flood control facilities have also been put in place in various areas in the province, as well as 152 farm-to-market roads that have benefitted 31,300 farmers. He said irrigation facilities are also undergoing construction to help the continuous development of the agriculture sector. – Rappler.com

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Natashya Gutierrez

Natashya is President of Rappler. Among the pioneers of Rappler, she is an award-winning multimedia journalist and was also former editor-in-chief of Vice News Asia-Pacific. Gutierrez was named one of the World Economic Forum’s Young Global Leaders for 2023.