Land use plans of the city and the municipalities in the province have to consider environment protection and the hazard-prone areas.
This was laid down in the major development programs for Environment and Natural Resources Management (ENREMS) sub-sectors of the Provincial Development Council (PDC).
The Mines and Geoscience Bureau (MGB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in Region 7 included hazard mapping in Bohol as reference in land use planning.
MGB-7’s Priority Programs and Projects for 2018 include Vulnerability and Risk Assessment (VRA) to be undertaken by the Geology Division in 12 municipalities.
In this process, the Geology Division of MGB-7 will evaluate “existing vulnerability conditions that could potentially harm various elements such as people and infrastructuresâ€.
This will lead to the development of a geohazard risk exposure maps which the local government units (LGUs) can use in updating and modifying their Comprehensive Land Use Plans (CLUPs).
It will also provide technical inputs into the regional, provincial and local disaster risk reduction and management plans, according to MGB-7.
The Geology Division of MGB-7 will also conduct groundwater assessment in two municipalities in Bohol.
The technical people of MGB-7 will assess “the groundwater resource potential and the hydraulic characteristics of water-bearing units or formation within the provinceâ€.
“The output can be the basis in order to locate suitable sites for the groundwater development and to some, evaluate specific areas with potential ground-water related problems,†according to MGB-7.
MGB-7 will also issue geohazard certification, conduct geological investigations, geological and geohazard assessment for various development programs or projects in Bohol.
Provincial Mining Regulatory Board (PMRB), for its part, conducts field monitoring, investigations and assessment around Bohol.
MGB-7 reported to the Provincial Development Council that the “PMRB regularly conducts monthly meetings to evaluate and recommend for approval of mining permit applications and to discuss and resolve issues and concerns related to mining, sand and gravel quarry operations in the provinceâ€.
It may also conduct field monitoring, investigations and assessment on the mining operations in the province, according to MGB-7
P 412-M PROJECT
On the other hand, the PDC indorsed a P412.47-million Integrated Natural Resources And Environmental Management Project (INREMP) for 2016-2020.
This comprise Land Use Assessment and Planning with a budget of P43.954 million, Rural Infrastructure amounting P183.814 million, Natural Resource Management costing P109.995 million, and Capacity Development and Project Management at P74.71 million.
The Land Use Assessment and Planning covers approved proposals on integrated development planning (IDP) and four sub-watersheds in 17 towns.
Approved proposals for rural infrastructures to be implemented in Danao, Dagohoy, Pilar, Sierra-Bullones, Alicia, San Miguel, Talibon, Trinidad, Inabanga and Duero include 26 farm-to-market roads, five-unit level 2 water impounding project, one communal irrigation system and six small water impounding projects, 15 small farm reservoir and a foot bridge.
For Natural Resource Management, the approved proposals include 15 agro-forestry, five reforestation, and other natural resources protection projects to be implemented in Sierra-Bullones, Duero, Danao, Inabanga, and Buenavista.
Moreover, the DENR and the Department of Transportation will jointly undertake a tree replenishment program “to replace the trees that has been cut or damaged during the New Bohol Airport development.
The trees will be planted with an endemic species in government or timberland areas in Bohol.
DENR and DOTÂ target to replace every tree cut with 100 seedlings. A total of 667,000 seedlings will be planted in 667 hectares.
“The project concept is similar to the National Greening Program (NGP) but no overlap with the existing program,†the ENREMS sub-sectors of PDC explained.