With the present destruction of the river dynamics of Subang Daku, the INECAR recommends the following courses of actions:

1. Since the town of Sogod and barangays along the Subang Daku is within the alluvial floodplain and river system, these areas are always endangered from super typhoons and exceptionally heavy, probably 25- or 50-year flood. Thus, there is a need to build strong dikes to protect human habitations from future flooding events and destruction from the said river during heavy rains and typhoons. This is a priority.

2. In case a minor rechanneling activity is necessary, this should only be done initially for the sole purpose of protecting and repairing the already destroyed/eroded riverbanks and possible destruction of the bridge and other infrastructure and not for the purpose of quarrying. Thus, materials extracted should be used only to shield and protect endangered zones and barangays.

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. This channel must also be allowed to meander naturally to allow it to return to its function of reducing silt deposition in Sogod Bay. It must be noted that silt deposition in Sogod Bay was facilitated by the rechannelization and quarrying activities.

4. After the protection of human habitation has been accomplished, quarrying may be allowed as livelihood for local people (the Sogodnons) with strict regulation and for local consumption, not for export. This means also that no barge should be allowed to carry SAG materials from the area. Countries in large continents should do export of materials. The Philippines is composed of small island ecosystems that cannot support rapid depletion of its natural resources. The island’s proximity to the sea, endangers the fishery resources by siltation caused by quarrying and rechanneling.

5. The DENR and the 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 rock slides that could create dams in the gorges upstream. This must also be addressed and mitigated by competent engineers whenever necessary.

Prepared by:

(SGD.)EMELINA G. REGIS, Ph.D.
Director
November 8, 2002

2. Bureau of Coast and Geodetic Survey, US Army Map Series. 1949 Map of Sogod, Southern Leyte. Reprinted in 1989 by the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority (NAMRIA).

3. Cahambing, Rio E. http://www.whitetip.com/divingwshark.html

4. DPWH recommendation to Provincial Governor Oscar Tan. 1993.

5. DENR-MGB Region 8. 1993. Environmental Compliance Certificate granted to Shemberg Corporation by Director Augustus L. Momongan, June 25, 1993

6. Earth Remote Sensing Data Analysis Center (ERSDAC). 1995-96. SERS-1 SAR Mosaic Image of the island of Leyte. Tokyo, Japan.

7. Israel, Danilo. 2001. “The Silent Dangers of Quarrying”. Policy Notes No. 2001-05. Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS). . July 2001

8. Keller, Edward A. 2000. “Environmental Geology”. 8th edition. Prentice-Hall, Inc. Upper Saddle River, NJ. USA. pp. 98 – 119

9. DENR- Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), Quezon City. Report on the conduct of investigation/evaluation of the impact of quarrying operation in Subang Daku River located in Sogod, Southern Leyte. (no date)

10. Montgomery, Carla W. 1997. “Environmental Geology”. 5th edition. WCB/McGraw-Hill. USA. pp. 45-47; 69-70; 125 – 139; 172-174

11. Plummer, Charles C., David McGeary and Diane H. Carlson, 1999. “Physical Geology” 8th edition. WCB/McGraw-Hill. USA. pp. 225 – 232

12. Shemberg Marketing Corporation write-up dated January 23, 2002

13. Siliman University. 1994. “Study of Sogod Bay. Final Report

14. Subang Daku Movement. Video Tape documentary 1998 and 2002

15. Villarias, Ramon. 2001. http://www.geocities.com/sogodbay/Sletter2.html

Academic Degrees:
Ph.D. Environmental Science, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City
M.S. Biology - do –
B.S. Botany - do –
Certificate Course in Resource and Environmental Management – Australian National University, Canberra, Australia.