UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES SCHOOL OF URBAN AND REGIONAL PLANNING

Thought Paper No. 1 LAND MISUSE

Submitted to: Ar./EnP. Mark Mateo Morales Professor

Submitted by: Vinson P. Serrano Plan 203A

August 2011

Land Misuse Issue No.1: Firecracker Stores Located Along Secondary Roads of Bocaue, Bulacan Redefining Special Commercial Zones Dedicated to the Firecracker Industry Background and Nature of the Problem

Firecracker Stores Gov.Fortunato Halili Avenue

Meralco Power Substation North Luzon Expressway (NLEX)

google earth image taken 02/05/2010

In the town of Bocaue in Bulacan, commercial establishments have spurred parallel to the existing Gov.Fortunato Halili Avenue- a municipal road connecting towns such as Angat, Norzagaray and Sta.Maria to the North Luzon Expressway (a main arterial road connecting Manila to the Northern provinces in Luzon). The establishments that predominantly located on this area are commercial business such as grocery stores, bamboo shops, gasoline stations, restaurants, furniture depot, pasalubong shopsand mostly outnumbered by firecracker stores. Despite the implementing regulations regarding the proper location of commercial establishments, it is very much alarming to the residents of the nearby area that firecracker stores are prevailing within the vicinity. With a few away from a two-way road, the storefront of these businesses directly faces each side of the road without proper provisions on public safety for the transit and residential populace. Moreover, a few meters away from the firecracker stores you will find a power substation owned by Meralco- which is also located near the intersection of the North Luzon Expressway.In an ordinary day scenario, it is expected

that a heavy congestion of vehicle coming from the northern part of Bocaue rush during peak hours (6:00 AM- 10:00 AM and 3:00PM- 8:00PM) possibly because of unparalleled ratio of the road to the carrying capacity for the towns being served. Given this everyday scenario, it is evident that this situation might be a potential risk factor for high incidence of fire accident and pose alarming risks to public that needs to be addressed by its government officials. It is also stated on the existing land use map of Bulacan only as built-up areas and no further action has ever happened for the last decade based on the authors observation. One major incident that happened last December 2007 - when a big fire explosion happened at Barangay Turo wherein stores were caught on fire brought the municipality into the news headline. According to the report, Radio dzBB reported Friday that while investigators have established that a lighted cigarette sparked the fire, they could not get leads on who threw the cigarette. i Sadly, no one has held accountable regarding the fire incident. The poor misuse of land brought by unplanned development caused potential problems to the habituating community. As per government legislation is concerned, it is only through Republic Act 7183-an act regulating the sale, manufacture, sale, distribution and use of firecrackers and other pyrotechnic devices. No provision indicated regarding the recommended location of establishments involving firecracker trade was indicated on the act. Only manufacturing sites are being suggested to be designated by a municipality highly operating a firecracker industry. Noted that Bocaue is known for its firecrackers, it is supposedly municipality-regulated that proper allocation of store areas should be recommended, if not imposed. What is even more questionable is the approved license permit to operate and sell of establishments in which should not have been approved by the municipal government of Bocaue due to its improper location and land use and to recall that a power substation is located on its adjacent side and currently operational.

Recommendations Given the uncontrollable incidence of bad bureaucracy, one recommendable solution for this issue is to propose special commercial Zones dedicated to the firecracker industry. Since firecracker industry posses a great hazard and threat to public safety, strict regulatory actions should take place within the vicinity with proper allocation of sites for this kind of establishments. The author recommends pointing sites that are off-the-grid-circulation, possibly given an allowable tolerable distance from residential communities and major road networks similarly to the recommendation for manufacturing sites of RA 7183. The site should have at least a maximized open space, a precautionary measure so to make the site more accessible to fire fighters in case of accident. Proper zoning of these establishments will give fair competition and promote good business operation to be given with proper attention by the government. Safety and security will be highly prioritized as a result of this transition. An incident in Iloilo City is the declaration of two Barangay namely Sooc in Arevalo and in Barangay Navais in Mandurriao as ideal places for fireworks making. The 2010-2020 Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP) of Iloilo City has also established the fireworks manufacturing zones in Barangays Sooc and Navais. ii

Land Misuse Issue No.2: Uncontrollable Number of Tourist Accommodation Facilities in Donsol, Sorsogon within the Coastal Area-A Threat to the Habitat of Whale Sharks and its Existing Ecology Relocation of Accommodation Facilities in line with Ecotourism Practices Background and Nature of the Problem In January 1998, the sudden discovery of whale sharks or Butanding (Rhincodon Typus, the Filipino local term for whale shark) along the shores of Donsol, Sorsogon in the Bicol region have turned so much attention to these sea creatures by the locals and foreigners wondering about these migratory fishes as considered to be the largest fish in the world. This

discovery suddenly turned the once-quiet town of Donsol from an ill-equipped community into a potential ecotourism destination in the Bicol region.

Proposed Site of Visitor Center

Existing Visitor Center

google earth image taken 02/05/2010

The alarming situation of the influx of local and foreign tourists as a result of the discovery of the Butandings created a tremendous impact on the locality of Donsol that caused problems related to tourism and land management in the area. The fast developing tourism and the rising need and demand of facilities that will best support the activities of ecotourism primarily on the striving need of whale shark interaction tourism be given the priority as it promotes ecologically-sustainable tourism in the region. The existing visitor center located at Dancalan, Donsol, Sorsogon is classified under Tourism Site based on the General Land Use Map of the municipality. However, the particular zone where the existing visitor center is located has been predominantly situated with beach resorts which are way above its maximum carrying capacity. Knowing that whale sharks are known to be existent for at least 50 to 75 years ago in the shores of Donsol, these species are very fragile to environmental degradation and abuse. The visitor center, wherein tourists are accommodated to see and explore the natural habitat of whale sharks is believed to be on a wrong site according to its handling capacity and usage. Alongside with the growing number of beach resorts in the coast line is the big threat of having the sewage sludge of these accommodation facilities be dredged off on the clean shores of Donsol.iii

Recommendations Baranggay Tinanogan, Donsol, Sorsogon is strategically located within the shores that pass Tinanogan Bay and Ticao Pass of Ticao, Masbate. With elevated heights compared to the shores of Dancalan, Tinanogan has a greater view of Mt.Mayon and Mt.Bulusan- two of the best mountains in the region. It is by fact that Tinanogan has greater tourism value compared to Dancalan based on its natural resources. Based on population density, Dancalan is more densed since the central district is only a few kilometers away. Several case studies were presented and were actually realized to prove that the existing conditions of whale shark interaction activities in Donsol are already bringing up negative impacts. Moreover, a study done by WWF-Philippines that have been assisting the Local Government Unit of Donsol in conserving the whale sharks and developing a community-based whale shark ecotourism program for the municipality. Since this phenomenon that happened in Donsol brought livelihood to the community aside from farming and fishing, the relocation of the visitor center will bring an added income to the community and will further lead to the development of the neighboring barangays of the municipality. It is by purpose to moderate the excessive development of the central district, and to provide benchmarking methods for the Local Government Unit on how to measure the implications of land use planning alongside with the existing ecotourism programs promoted within the municipality. iv Bibliography
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Lack of witnesses stall Bocaue blast probe. http://www.gmanews.tv/story/75200/Lack-of-witnesses-stallBocaue-blast-probe. GMANews.TV. 01/04/2008. Iloilo City identifies fireworks manufacturing zones. http://balita.ph/2011/06/09/iloilo-city-identifies-fireworksmanufacturing-zones/. 08/03/11.

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Serrano, Vinson P. Aquatika: Whale Shark Exploration Center. University of Santo Tomas Undergraduate Thesis.Espana,Manila. 03/2010. Community-Based Ecotourism and Coastal Resources Management Project in Donsol, Sorsogon. http://www.wwf.org.ph/about.php?pg=wwd&sub1=00011. 07/17/2009.

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