Executive Summary
of the
Position Paper No. 2

Prioritize the protection of the town of Sogod and barangays located along the banks of Subang Daku River, Sogod, Southern Leyte


In a recent study conducted by the INECAR in May and September, 2002 in Subang Daku River System including its upstream sources, the following findings show that:
  1. the town of Sogod and other barangays are within the floodplain, thus are always endangered of flooding
  2. the process of gravel and sand deposition is made possible by a combination of various geologic and rainfall events
  3. unregulated quarrying and rechanneling, including misunderstood river processes caused the rapid flow of water downstream
  4. the destruction of the road in San Miguel area was due to No. 3.
  5. changes in the river dynamics as a result of No. 3 contributed to the rapid siltation of Sogod Bay thereby affecting its fisheries and ecological relationship with Subang Daku


The above findings show that two ecosystems (Subang Daku River and Sogod Bay) have been affected much by human activities. Thus, three critical points were generated:
  1. There is a need to prioritize the protection of the town of Sogod and barangays located along the banks of Subang Daku River by constructing strong dikes that can withstand strong flow of river water during typhoons and major rainfall events
  2. Unregulated rechanneling can cause rapid siltation of Sogod Bay thereby harming its fishery resources. Straightening and widening of existing channels will cause water to flow much faster and stronger. Since silt comprise 90% of the total load of moving water, siltation of Sogod Bay will become worse, causing damage to its fishery resources
  3. Major quarrying activities will rapidly deplete the resource and facilitate siltation of Sogod Bay, thus, will adversely impact on the bay’s fishery resources. Subang Daku may endure regulated quarrying by local groups but major quarrying activities that export materials will definitely alter the dynamics of the river flow. Quarrying leads to uneven deepening of the riverbeds as well as increase the stream gradient resulting to increase in the velocity of the river flow. Under this condition, major quarrying and poorly planned rechanneling can cause destruction of riverbanks, exacerbate flooding hazards and aggravate siltation of Sogod Bay.


In view of the above findings, the INECAR recommends the following courses of action:

  1. There is a need to build strong dikes to protect human habitations in the town of Sogod and barangays along the riverbank from future flooding events and destruction from the said river during heavy rains and typhoons. This is a priority.
  2. Rechanneling activity should only be done initially for the sole purpose of protecting human habitation and not for the purpose of quarrying which is presently termed as “excess materials”. Thus, materials extracted should be used only to shield and protect endangered zones and barangays and repair the already destroyed/eroded riverbanks and other infrastructures
  3. Rechanneling here means a redirection of river channel away from the road and barangays, but still within the alluvial plain. The river channel must be made continuous initially until the sea at Sogod Bay and must also be allowed to meander naturally to allow it to return to its function of reducing silt deposition in Sogod Bay.
  4. After the protection of human habitation has been accomplished, quarrying may be allowed as livelihood for local people (the Sogodnons) with strict regulations and for local consumption, not for export. This means also that no barge should be allowed to carry SAG materials from the area. It is still ecologically manageable for countries in large continents to export of SAG materials. This is not true in the Philippines which is composed of small island ecosystems that cannot support rapid depletion of its natural resources. Furthermore, the areas’ proximity to the sea endangers the fishery resources by siltation caused by quarrying and rechanneling.
  5. The DENR and the Mines and Geosciences (MGB) both of Region 8, and the local government must strictly monitor the above activities to ensure implementation and protection of human habitations, farms, business establishments and other infrastructures.
  6. The DENR, the MGB and the local government should regularly (perhaps annually) check the possible development of rockslides that could create dams in the gorges upstream. This must also be addressed and mitigated by competent engineers, possibly an environmental engineer, whenever necessary.

Emelina G. Regis, Ph.D.
Director
November 15, 2002