Entrepreneurial Farmer

Ambrosio R. Villorente

Is Aklan’s Sand And Gravel
Quarrying Eco-Friendly?

On Tuesday, October 1, I was invited to be a reactor to the research presentation during the “Statistical Research and Utilization Forum”. The forum was one of the activities in the 24th National Statistics Month on the theme, “Statistics That Matter To Every Filipino.

The forum was jointly sponsored by the Aklan Sangguniang Panlalawigan, Aklan Rivers Development Council, and the Aklan Provincial Planning and Development Office. 

Here is my reaction to the research findings on “The Aklan River System: Psycho–chemical Characteristics, Geomorphology, Hydrology, Biodiversity, and Socio-Economic and Cultural Profile”.

As an Aklanon, I can say, I’m one of the most interested persons for the development and utilization of our natural resources like the Aklan river.

I always hope our public officials will find time to transform Aklan river from being destructive into a resource friendly and productive river for the good of the people.
I often recall an incident where I attended a meeting in the Department of Agriculture in August 1963 where a question was asked: “Why does the Philippines lack rice when we have vast area of rice field?” 

There was a moment of silence which induced me to stand and say: “There is rice shortage because we have no office that takes care of irrigation”. I said, “rice is a hydrophonic plant which will not bear grain if there is lack of water.” 

With that, the bureau directors including the Dean, UP College of Agriculture present in the meeting discussed the problem of water. They found out that there was really no office for irrigation. 

The following month, September, 1963, my office, Bureau of Agricultural Extension sent me to Taiwan (Formosa) to study irrigation for one month. The USAID financed my trip. I spent the one month visiting the projects in “Shi Minh Dam” that helped make Taiwan prosperous today. Shi Minh Dam has multipurpose uses which are tourism, electricity generation, irrigation, flood control, land reclamation, and job creation among others. The excess irrigation water is processed for domestic uses. 

My travel report was one of the references used in the enactment of the law creating the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) which was approved in 1965. NIA was organized in the same year of its approval.

Every morning and afternoon crossing the Aklan river, I always feel bad for failure to convert Aklan river into a useful resource.
About eight (8) years ago, I wrote about the idea of harnessing Aklan river and make use of the water. I wrote that the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Aklan can enact an Ordinance to Develop Aklan river and utilize the resources there for progress and development. LGU Aklan with the ordinance may authorize the conduct of researches, prepare project studies so that the province has ever ready proposals to give for probable funding agencies. 

A few months after the publication of my article, I was happy to learn that the SP Aklan presided by then Vice Governor Ronquillo C. Tolentino has enacted provincial ordinance creating the Aklan Rivers Development Council.

Thank you Aklan SP and former Governor Carlito S. Marquez who signed and approved the said Ordinance. This research result about Aklan river is now under review.

I wish to congratulate the authors of this research report. They have done a good job. The findings are excellent basic information useful to planners, policy and decision makers, and funding agencies especially for micro planning.

A common saying states: “in our work, there is always room for improvement”. And my reaction here is to improve further on what you have done. After reading the research report, I admired it. It has enriched my limited knowledge. I wish we will continue doing researches on Aklan river and consider the following: 

1. Include in the future studies research team members who can ably handle and answer the statements of the problem. A rural sociologist for example maybe included to study why matured and recommended technologies are not utilized. Aklan now is short of agricultural products e.g. vegetables, flowers, chicken and eggs inspite of the presence of the national university for agriculture located in Banga, Aklan (ASU). Agricultural Training Institute is also situated in the ASU Banga campus to train agricultural technicians and farmers. The diffusion of information is quite slow and its utilization is equally limited. Aklan Province is rich with natural resources, but statistic show, one of every five Aklanons (21%) is living below the poverty level. Almost all municipalities are members of 4P’s.

2. If possible, include recommendations to solve problems found in the research. A good example is the finding on the “level of coliform”. What is the effect of high coliform level to health? What must be done to reduce the coliform level? Massive information dissemination and construction of latrines project/program for example be recommended. 

3. If possible, reduce the highly technical terms into common terms to promote proper understanding, appreciation and application of recommendations. 

4. Kindly include statistics and its analysis. October is National Statistics Month.

5. Since Geomorphology, Hydrology, Physico-chemical Characteristics are studied among others, did the team subject some specimen for laboratory analysis? Did the research team consult pertinent specialists to make data interpretation highly credible?   

6. Future studies may answer questions like: Who are becoming wealthy out of sand and gravel extracted from Aklan river? My observation is: sand and gravel dealers became rich and still becoming richer. Those who can afford have constructed houses made of stones and cement. But according to National Statistics Office, Kalibo, Aklan, for every 10 houses, seven (7) or 70 percent needed repair. These 70 percent of the houses in Aklan had average floor area ranging from 9.8 square meters to 19 square meters where an average 4.3 dwellers live. How can four people live comfortably on a space 2.5 square meters per person?

7. Is sand and gravel quarrying correctly done to prevent erosions? Are sand and gravel concessionaires following strictly their respective quarrying contracts? /MP