ANTIQUE Lone District Rep. Loren Legarda is pushing to improve the water quality of the province most especially the rivers.
“We want to make sure our rivers are clean and useable. Useable for tourism,” Legarda said.
The congresswoman underscored this in her speech at the inauguration of the newly restored main building of the University of the Philippines-Visayas in Iloilo City Campus.
Legarda stressed that she doesn’t want another case of Boracay.
Legarda also said that she was inspired by the efforts of Sen. Franklin Drilon in the restoration of heritage structures, the development of the Iloilo River Esplanade, among others.
The revival of the Iloilo River has inspired Legarda to make an inventory of the waterways in Antique.
When asked about her plans, Legarda said they will make “the inventory of all our water systems and the cleaning up, if any, if needed, of these rivers as well.”
Legarda also wanted to “check the status” of the Bugang River in Pandan, Antique, which she said, “was considered the cleanest inland river in Western Visayas and the whole country some years ago.”
The lady solon said she is working with Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu to rehabilitate the historic Malandong River.
“That’s very historic because Malandong River in that area was where the Bornean datus first arrived in Panay and the area could be developed into historical tourism spot,” she said.
Aside from rehabilitating its rivers, Legarda said Antique will also rehabilitate its heritage building.
Among these are the only remaining “Balay na Bato” on Gobierno Street in San Jose de Buenavista and the old provincial capitol building, which was rehabilitated by the Americans in 1946. (With a report from PNA/PN)
Malumpati is already “another case of Boracay”. It’s a real mess up there.