Ipil River in Sibugay

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The great river of Ipil

The great river of Ipil has almost 4 kilometers of navigable waters. There are 3 bridges that crosses the river. This river has a great potential for the development of tourism. The municipality needs to invest in walkways by the river. Sooner or later the DENR will fund Ipil to build riprap or river embankment protection. This will protect the river banks from breaking down. In conjunction with the river embankment project the administration can also build a gutter system alongside the embankment to prevent the sewer of the municipality from being drained into the river. Currently (year 2013) all the sewer systems of the municipality drains into the river and pollutes it. Will this be done by the ipil government? Who knows? As of 2013 the river embankment program is still not in place. Let us see if the administration will continue to pollute the river or protect it.

What the law says about River Banks

PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 1067
December 31, 1976
THE WATER CODE OF THE PHILIPPINES

CHAPTER IV UTILIZATION OF WATERS

Act. 51. The banks or rivers and streams and the shores of the seas and lakes throughout their entire length and within a zone of three (3) meters in urban areas, twenty (20) meters in agricultural areas and forty (40) meters in forest areas, along their margins, are subject to the easement of public use in the interest of recreation, navigation, flotage, fishing and salvage. No person shall be allowed to stay in this zone longer than what is necessary for recreation, navigation, flotage, fishing or salvage or to build structures of any kind.

Ipil River Banks as a Tourist Attraction

The river banks of Ipil as of 2013 does not fall under the category of "urban", Partially urban yes in other areas very rural still.

This means that at least 20 meters belongs to the government.

Ipil River Banks still not crowded by Squatters

Taking charge of the river banks by the Ipil municipality administration is still not difficult if not easy at all. The river banks of the ipil river is not inundated with squatters like the Tumaga River of Zamboanga City or the Pasig River.