Church opposes Oro's megadike project

NOW that the proposed megadike is waiting for President Benigno Aquino IIIs nod in the next National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) board meeting this August, the Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro is opposing its expected construction in 2015.

The Church in general would be for the betterment of the people but we are not saying that we are for its construction, said Archbishop Antonio Ledesma, who also chairs the environmental body the River Basin Management Council.

The 12-kilometer megadike construction will stretch from the mouth of the Cagayan de Oro River to upstream, Pelaez Bridge in Taguanao affecting 15 barangays in both sides and allocating a river basin at the rotunda in Barangay Nazareth.

Ledesma said the focus of the construction should not only be in the urban areas but also in the uplands.

The project has already been approved by Nedas Investment Coordination Committee (ICC) Technical Board and now awaits the meeting for the Cabinet Committee where Aquino himself will chair.

It has been estimated by the Department of Public Works and Highways that the project will amount to P8.7 billion, P5 billion for its construction and P3 billion for the resettlement of residents affected by the construction.

Ledesma, however, does not agree to the projects costing.

The megadike project is very costly and there could be other alternatives the government can think of rather than putting a large amount of money in it, he said.

Neda-10 regional director Leon Dacanay said the ICC-Technical Board headed by the Department of Finance and co-chaired by Neda has already prepared supporting documents where the money will be loaned from.

But it is only the President who can say yes or no to the project. He will also be the one who will approve or not on where the money will be loaned from kasi baka may ideas rin siyang gusto i-integrate, Dacanay said.

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Church opposes Oro's megadike project