Rodriguez open to enhancements of Oro River Basin Bill

The author of the house bill including the water resources and territorial boundaries of the province of Bukidnon into the proposed Cagayan de Oro River Basin Development Authority has expressed his willingness to amend the bill by including the province´s local and national officials into the composition of the authority.

"We will immediately change the provisions of House Bill No. 5908 to include the Governor of Bukidnon and the congressmen from the first and second districts in the proposed authority," said Rep. Rufus B. Rodriguez (2nd District, Cagayan de Oro) upon receiving a copy of the resolution from the Bukidnon provincial board expressing its strong opposition to the bill.

The Bukidnon provincial board earlier passed the resolution in a special session September 9 in response to Gov. Jose Ma. R. Zubiri Jr.´s request "strongly opposing, protesting and objecting to the inclusion of the water resources and territorial boundaries of the province of Bukidnon into the proposed Cagayan de Oro River Basin Development Authority under House Bill No. 5908".

In his explanatory note, Rodriguez cited the need for more comprehensive flood controls and drainage along the Cagayan River, its tributaries and natural waterways, following a series of flash floods in January 2009 which displaced some 69,000 people comprising nearly 13,000 families. The proposed Cagayan River Basin Development Authority would oversee the preservation, protection, and development of the waterways flowing into it, he added.

Gov. Jose Ma. Zubiri of Bukidnon has expressed his objection to the bill since it would "transfer control over the water resources and areas of Bukidnon" to another entity. The Cagayan River has its head waters in the Kalatungan Mountain Range of Bukidnon.

The SP also cited in the resolution that the country´s natural resources are vested by the Constitution on the State through its instrumentalities, including the Natural Water Resources Board. They said the proposed body cannot legally regulate the water resources that are found in the province without amending the pertinent provisions of the Civil and Water codes, and the 1987 Constitution.

However, alleged illegal logging in Baungon, Bukidnon cited by Journalist BenCyrus Ellorin could indicate Bukidnon LGU has its hands full policing the watershed and could use the assistance of neighboring LGUs to address the problem. Journalist BenCyrus Ellorin pointed out in a recent article that the waters that flooded Cagayan de Oro on January 3, 2009 came from the Baungon-Kitanglad area where the illegal logging is reportedly taking place.

In addition to adding Bukidnon officials to the composition of the authority, Rodriguez also indicated his willingness to change the name of the proposed Cagayan de Oro River Basin Authority to something more appropriate.

"Since protecting the watershed of the Cagayan River and controlling its floods is a trans-territorial issue, all stakeholders along its entire course from its headwaters to its outlet to Macajalar Bay should be involved in its management since everyone would be affected in case something happens somewhere within its length," Rodriguez said. "Thus, I am open to changing the name of the authority to something more appropriate which is more reflective of its trans-territorial nature."