Subic ecology chief refuses to quit over forest condos

The chief of the ecology center of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) rejected on Sunday a call from Sen. Richard Gordon for her to resign over the construction of two Korean condominiums in the Subic Bay Freeport’s forests.

“Why should I? We went through the EIS (environmental impact assessment) process by the book. It’s defensible,” Amethya dela Llana-Koval told the Philippine Daily Inquirer. “They can have a House or Senate hearing. I can defend the decision.”

The SBMA’s ecology center approved the plan of Hanjin Heavy Industries & Construction Ltd. to build the two high-rise buildings for its Korean workers. “The records are public and can be scrutinized,” Koval said.

Reacting to Gordon’s claim that she was not qualified to head the ecology center, having been merely a political appointee of former SBMA head Felicito Payumo, Koval said: “I’ve been serving in this capacity for eight years and I believe the three administrations since Senator Gordon have retained me by the merits of my capability and accomplishments.”

She was referring to the Subic administrations of Payumo, Francisco Licuanan II and Feliciano Salonga.

She said Hanjin’s “apartment complex” was approved by the SBMA’s 13-member board in February 2007. She said she or any representatives of the ecology center was “not part of the board’s sessions.”

“We are only called in when there are requests for special information,” Koval said.

She said she and her staff expressed “apprehensions” over the project. “It is within the protected area. That’s why we went through the regular process of EIS, going also through a technical review by a panel of independent experts,” she said.

Normally, Koval said, the center would have “apprehensions over any other projects that have impact on the environment during construction and operation stages.” These were resolved when the EIS identified the impacts and mitigating measures, she said.

Shim Jong Sup, Hanjin president, denied discriminating against Filipino residents and workers in so far as housing was concerned.

In the case of the Nagyantoc resettlement in Subic, Zambales, where Hanjin is expanding the shipyard, Shim said: “Please understand that Hanjin has exerted all efforts to ensure that the residents are treated fairly, more than what is required by law.”

The 280 families scheduled for transfer to the Nagyantoc relocation are “given a better level of life than previous,” Shim said.

Hanjin, he added, was working with the SBMA and Gawad Kalinga to “create a vibrant community.”

“In fact, we believe that the condition of this relocation is better than those at NorthRail,” Shim said. He was referring to the resettlements built by the contractors of the National Housing Authority for some 30,000 families displaced by the construction of the China-funded railway from Caloocan City to the City of Malolos in Bulacan.

“We provide people with titles for land of at least 80 square meters per family and a house for free,” Shim said. In comparison, each family displaced by the NorthRail gets a 30-square-meter lot.

Hanjin plans to build schools, churches and community centers in Nagyantoc.

Unlike the Agusuhin resettlement for 400 families in Sitio Quarry, Hanjin is handling the Nagyantoc relocation directly.

With regard to the Agusuhin relocation, Hanjin left the task to the local government of Subic, a reason why many of the basic facilities were not completed or not done at all, according to Zambales Gov. Amor Deloso. By Tonette Orejas - Inquirer Central Luzon Desk