THE Loctob Water Inc. (LWI), and the municipality of Loboc led by Mayor Raymond Jala are apparently at odds, not only over the water and environmental concerns but also in political calisthenics.
LWI, a subsidiary of Richli Water Resources, Inc. appeared to be linking its 4 million-liter-per-day water treatment plant project situated in Loctob Spring, barangay Gotozon of this town to politics.
Richli and LWI fielded incumbent councilor Erwin Bacquial, brother-in-law of Richard Lim, whose wife is the brother of Bacquial, who filed his certificate of candidacy for mayor in May 12, 2025 elections.
Mayor Jala is set for his reelection.
Lim told presscon at his posh Eskaya resort in Panglao town that since then they have been following the procedures and complied with all the requirements needed to construct the said project so as not to violate the law.
This came after Mayor Jala has requested the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) thru Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) to conduct an investigation over the alleged quarrying of a hill nearby said project.
The former DENR head said in interview that the said Spring is located within the Albur-Loay-Loboc Protected Area and the Loboc Watershed Area unless there are some changes in the coverage.
Jala said in his letter that several alterations of the hills have been done by LWI. “It appears that substantial quarrying activities are occurring, which are being carried out without a specific Environmental Clearance Certificate (ECC) although an ECC has been issued for water treatment plant, but quarrying is not covered,” Jala said.
The said project, however, has been issued an excavation permit by the Office of the building Office of the town.
The letter said that the town are concerned over “potential environmental impact of excessive quarrying.” The letter also made mention of some feedback from guests of the Loboc river cruising over the environment in the area.
Lim denied unfounded report that he offered some P17 million for Jala not to run for reelection. But Lim turned the table against Jala, who allegedly asked Lim not to let Bacquial run for mayor so that there would be “no problem” of the said water project.
Lim said that the LWI did not make any quarrying operations but only land preparation or site development being readied for the water treatment plant (WTP).
He said that the LQI did not make any quarry and most of all it is not selling of the earth materials from the land preparation works. The DENR-CENRO, together with some of the government agencies are to make the site inspection of the water project on October 31, 2024 after it postponed last week the said ocular inspection. (rvo)
