SILAYNONS have finally spoken.
On February 9, the members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) of Silay City unanimously passed a resolution rejecting the request of Negros Occidental governor Eugenio Jose “Bong” Lacson for a Resolution of No Objection (RONO) to the proposed capitol-initiated P1.2-billion bulk water project.
The decision effectively ended the two-year controversy surrounding the planned Negros Occidental Bulk Water Project (NOBWP). It also reflects Silay’s strong commitment to environmental protection.
For environmental advocates across the province, the move against Governor Lacson’s request is a breather—a victory for nature. Two environmental watchdog groups on Negros Island were quick to express jubilation over Silay City’s firm “NO” to the bulk water project.
For Southeast Asia’s acclaimed Green Alert Network (GAN) and the Negros-based Group of Environmental Socialists (GOES), the bold move of Silay officials is a true reflection of their “love of nature.”
“The people of Silay have spoken: The answer to RONO as requested by Governor Lacson is a firm NO. This is not a rejection of progress, but a call to respect the local voice and the sanctity of our natural resources,” GAN founder Rusty Biñas told yours truly.
He added: “Before a single drop of water is diverted for bulk supply, there must be an accounting of our watersheds. Let the Provincial Environment and Management Office show the fruits of their reforestation budgets — let us see the forests grow and the rivers stabilized first.”
GOES founder Randy James Rojo likewise lauded the Silay City Council for upholding the interests of their constituents.
For Rojo, the move deserves celebration among nature-loving Negrenses who had long waited for this “brave decision” from the Silay local government.
NO ORDINARY ENDEAVOR
For the Capitol, however, the proposed NOBWP is no ordinary endeavor.
Designed to have a minimum capacity of 34.5 million liters per day (MLD), the project is set to tap water from Silay’s Hinalinan and Imbang rivers, as well as the Malogo River in nearby E.B. Magalona.
It was conceptualized to supply potable water to the towns of Manapla and E.B. Magalona and the cities of Victorias, Silay, Talisay, and Bacolod.
The gist of the proposal is to address the projected water crisis in Negros Occidental 10 to 20 years from now.
Two years ago, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) warned that Negros Occidental faces a looming water crisis due to three major factors: rapidly depleting groundwater, degraded watersheds, and increasing demand — necessitating a shift to surface water sources.
Despite such intentions, on February 9, through a unanimous vote, the 12 members of the Silay Sangguniang Panlungsod rejected the project and unequivocally said “NO.”
VOCAL OPPOSITION
Silay Mayor Joedith Gallego expressed gratitude to the councilors for standing firm on what they believe is right for the environment and for future generations of Silaynons.
Since 2024, Gallego has been a vocal opponent of the NOBWP.
Supporting his stance are Vice Mayor Thomas Maynard “Tom” Ledesma and six allied councilors.
Yet the February 9 vote revealed something unusual: all 12 councilors — including six perceived as anti-Gallego — voted “NO” to the RONO.
For Gallego, the bulk water issue is not about politics — it is about protecting nature.
The mayor does not want Silay’s rivers to be “raped by development,” only for residents to later say, “amon hinsulsulan” (we will regret it).
Initially, the controversial project was to be pursued through a public-private partnership (PPP), with 18 private investors signifying interest in the 2024 bidding. However, when Mayor Gallego publicly expressed opposition, 17 firms withdrew.
Only a consortium of First Balfour Inc. and Lucio Tan-led Victorias Milling Company (VMC) remained as the sole bidder, offering a rate of P24 per cubic meter — and thus winning the bid.
By mid-2025, however, the provincial government’s Bids and Awards Committee disqualified the consortium over concerns about the high water rate.
The provincial government then announced it would push through with a Capitol-initiated version of the project.
Governor Lacson once again courted Gallego and city officials.
The Capitol sent a technical working group (TWG) to explain the project’s scope, including its pros and cons, to the five host barangays — Bagtic, Hawaiian, E. Lopez, Guimbala-on, and Patag — as well as to the city council.
FAILED TO CONVINCE
In an interview, Councilor Mykol Velez, chair of the SP Committee on Environment, said the Capitol’s TWG failed to convince both the council and residents of the five host barangays that the bulk water project would be beneficial to Silay.
“At hand, we also have a copy of a petition with 475 farmer signatories against the project,” Velez confided.
Barangays Bagtic and Guimbala-on also passed resolutions opposing the proposal.
Mayor Gallego said that the majority of sugar planters in Silay are likewise against the project. They fear they may no longer be able to irrigate their farms once water from the Hinalinan and Imbang rivers is diverted to bulk water facilities.
“We experienced El Niño in the early part of 2024. We saw how the volume of water in Hinalinan and Imbang rivers reduced significantly. We believe it will worsen the situation once there’s a bulk water project siphoning both Silay rivers,” the mayor said.
Aside from local officials, Reverend Father Ernie Larida, parish priest of St. Joseph the Worker Parish in E.B. Magalona and a native of Guimbala-on, has also voiced opposition.
Larida has led protests in their village, warning that the project could become a bane for Silaynons.
NOT THE ANSWER
Delving deeper, Biñas said that until the future of every Silaynon is secured through genuine environmental restoration, the Hinalinan and Imbang rivers must remain common-property resources—held in trust by the community, for the community, forever.
“The logic is simple: the cart cannot function without the horse. Similarly, water scarcity will occur if our protected areas are not truly protected due to privileges granted by the Provincial Government, the Protected Area Management Board, and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR),” Biñas explained.
GAN and GOES argue that addressing the projected water crisis does not require a bulk water project. Instead, they insist that immediate rehabilitation of the province’s watersheds — the Northern Negros Natural Park (NNNP) and Mt. Kanlaon Natural Park (MKNP) — is imperative.
Although the NNNP and MKNP cover 80,454.5 hectares and 24,557.6 hectares, respectively, Biñas said both still fall short of the 40% forest cover required for ecological balance.
As a result, Negros’ quest for sustainable food, water, and protection from typhoons and floods remains at risk.
Biñas stressed that the province’s two “green giants” are hurting from vanishing forests caused by unchecked upland development.
‘WICKED PROBLEMS’
In essence, most environmental issues today are considered “wicked problems.” They complicate even media reporting, as they are often intertwined with social, economic, and political “ganaps” (happenings). They are inherently complex.
The issue at hand boils down to this: love of nature versus a projected water crisis.
Which carries more weight?
Hearing Councilor Velez say that the Capitol’s TWG failed to convince them that the bulk water project is a boon for Silay and the province is unsettling.
What went wrong?
USAID’s data are science-based — and presumably reliable.
So why did the Capitol fail to persuade? Did it fail to master the art of negotiation?
In any case, Silay’s “NO” to bulk water may indeed be something good.
Perhaps, it can be branded as a “triumph for the wild.”/PN
