Task force formed to protect Lapu-Lapu shoreline

The Lapu-Lapu City government has formed a task force to ensure that the city's shoreline is free from illegal structures.

Mayor Paz Radaza issued Executive Order 2018-18 dated May 22 creating the "Shoreline Inter-Department Task Force."

"There is a need to organize all concerned departments of the city for an enhanced Task Force, which will formulate, implement, and oversee the strict implementation and enforcement of the national laws and city ordinances to ensure compliance for an ecologically sustainable city," read the order.

The task force is chaired by Radaza and co-chaired by City Administrator Florito Pozon, while the members are the city planning officer, city engineer, tourism officer, city environmental officer, city health officer, city attorney, and city urban poor affairs officer, among others.

The task force, Radaza said, is also responsible for the implementation of the three-meter easement rule and cleanliness along the shoreline.

In fact, it demolished over 100 structures built illegally on the shoreline of Barangay Ibo last week for violating the three-meter easement.

The city government is eyeing at tearing down more than 600 illegal structures along the city's coastal areas.

Radaza said the task force is also enjoined to conduct regular inspection to "examine, evaluate, implement and monitor the strict enforcement of all environmental laws and ordinances."

Last week, the city government convened more than 250 hotel and resort representatives and government agencies for its firstever shoreline summit.

Officials from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Environmental Management Bureau (EMB), Department of Tourism (DOT), and the Office of the Presidential Assistant of the Visayas (OPAV) were present during the summit last June 14.

Radaza said the stakeholders present vowed to protect the environment and to comply with the environmental laws.

"We invited agencies and hotels and resort management, ilahang mga environmental officers ilaha gipadala. Nihatag sila’g commitment to protect our shoreline to prevent the same situation happened in Boracay," the mayor said. —

Christell Fatima M. Tudtud/KBQ