UP prof says hotel project in Subic has minimal impact on environment

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT - A group of professors teaching at the University of the Philippines (UP) clarified that economic benefit outweighs the possible environmental disturbance that will be generated by the controversial construction of the US$120 million hotel and casino here. Pastor Malabriga, an ecological conservationist based in UP Los Baños, said the project, if their recommendations are followed, will result to the reforestation of some 8 hectares of forest land at the Pastolan area inside the Freeport. He added that there will be insignificant air and water disturbance as well, aside from the temporary noise due to the construction of the facility. "We also feel that the soci-economic benefit is great," he explained noting that some 5,000 jobs would be generated. Malabriga is part of a team of scientist from Kanlungan, a firm hired by Grand Utopia to conduct the Initial Environmental Examination report (IEER). The IEE is the first step for securing the project environmental compliance certificate necessary for the start of the hotel's construction. The IEER was submitted to the Ecology Center of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) that will in turn seek recommendation from an independent third-party reviewer before it makes its final decision. According to an SBMA project brief that was distributed during the site visit, the Ocean9 hotel and casino project is worth US$120 million and will draw some 130,000 foreign tourist a year. SBMA administrator Armand Arreza said that "none of the trees has been cut, or will be cut for the project" and that the project is still under review. The Kanlungan report identified some 282 trees and palms of 48 different species in the vicinity, significantly less than the 366 reported by the SBMA Ecology Center. "The difference is that they (Ecology Center) counted the several offshoot of one individual palm," Malabriga explained. "Talagang sick na ang mga puno. Ito ay dahil sa disturbed na ang root system nila ng mga concrete slabs ng mini-golf facilities dito dati," Malabriga said. Of the 282, some 51 will be retained, 70 will be relocated and another 161 will be replaced. "Our report recommends some cutting of trees, but it will also result to planting of some 8,000 trees at an 8 hectare reforestation area inside Subic Bay," Malabrigo explained. Environmental laws require a firm to plant 50 seedlings for every tree that is felled and that the firm cares for these for three years before turning it over to government agencies. "This enhances the survival rate to around 80%," the report said. Of these only three species, Narra, Ipil and Manila Palm, are listed in the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Red List of Philippine plants. The list enumerates the tree and plant species that are considered endangered. "These are considered endangered because of their low numbers in the wild. But Manila Palm is actually generously used for landscaping," Mabriga added. The controversy began after renowned architect Jun Palafox of Palafox Associates said that he backed out of the hotel and casino project after he reportedly he found out that management intended to cut the trees. "We found out only last October that there was a September confirmation by the Ecology Center of SBMA that the existing usage (of the area) is urban forest. I could also put some building in the urban forest, but you can design it in such a way you can preserve those trees," Palafox said. Grand Utopia hired Yamasaki architect, an international firm to design the hotel and casino project, which is said to give employment to 5,000 workers. The project site is located at the heart of the Freeport Central Business District and is classified as a resort area under the land use plan of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA). "Health of the trees is the primary reason for our recommendation to replace them. Also, most of them are just saplings and poles which are less than 10 cm. in diameter," the UP professors said. Asked to clarify if there are indeed century-old trees in the vicinity, Malabriga said that the only way to confirm this is by counting the tree rings. "But that would mean we have to cut them to find out," he added. For their part, Grand Utopia said that they will abide by the decision of the Ecology Center. "We are disappointed that much have been said by the media without an objective study first. We do not want to destroy the environment and we are following Philippine laws," Louis Jogn-Moon Choi, Grand Utopian's managing director said. - GMANews.TV