Village folks from a town in Floridablanca, Pampanga are opposing anew the opening of the 4-hectare Eleganstone Memorial Park (EMP) located beside the water tank of the water district station, due to health and environment hazards.
In an interview with Fortuna village chairman Arturo Laxamana, he said the construction of the EMP, owned by spouses Arturo Navarro and Caridad Sapnu-Navarro, is being opposed by the residents because of health and environment hazards to the community and nearby barangays here.
Laxamana said on July 25, 2006, the Sangguniang Barangay in Fortuna passed Resolution No. 35 rejecting unanimously the request of EMP for barangay clearance because of its proximity to the barangay water system that may affect the health conditions of the residents here.
On October 24, 2005 the Sangguniang Bayan (SB) passed its own Resolution No. 104 opposing also the construction of the EMP on the ground that “chloroform” was found extant in Barangay Fortuna during the investigation conducted by the SB’s Committee on Health and Sanitation.
As a sign of protest for the impending opening of EMP, Laxamana added, residents have voluntarily put several streamers which states “No to Memorial!”
Other streamers state, “Magkanu ing Mayor’s Permit? (November 2016),” and “Hindi tapunan ng patay ang Fortuna!”
He said last January 31, 2017 EMP’s administrative officer Roy Sanchez applied for a barangay business clearance but the barangay officials refused to issue such.
“Despite our refusal for their permits in our barangay, tutuluy da pa rin pu ing pamanayus keng opening da keng March na pu kanu. Kayabe da pu reng memaryu ku ikami pu tutul na tutul kami keng pamamuklat na ning memorial park ayan uli ning sakit a idulut na kareng memaryu at kasiping baryu,” Laxamana stressed.
The Water District office’s water tank, which is 650 feet deep, is beside the EMP’s well.
Laxamana said EMP explained that the dead bodies will be buried 6 to 7 feet witj the use of water proof cement.
However, experts from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said there’s no such thing as waterproof cement because of seepage that would leak on small holes.
Records showed that 9 years Mayor Eduardo Guerrero’s incumbency, EMP failed to secure any permit from the local government unit due to danger it may pose to the residents in Barangays Fortuna, Maligaya, San Antonio and Poblacion.
Laxamana said last November 2016, EMP was able to get its mayors permit.
Despite having a copy of its EMP’s Supreme Court promulgation dated January 23, 2013 –which after the counsel failed to file intended petition from the petitioners’ side led by then Barangay Chair Michael So—the case was declared closed and terminated, Laxamana said they will still oppose to protect the welfare of the 4,000 residents in his barangay.
Barangay officials are appealing to municipal and provincial officials to help and save the residents from the health hazards that the memorial park might pose in the near future.