DAVAO CITY (PIA) – The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in Davao region is intensifying its monitoring and enforcement efforts against unregulated and unauthorized resorts and commercial establishments built within the protected areas in the region.
“For now, we have been strictly monitoring [these protected areas]. We are not stopping, we are doing our work through the Protected Area Management Board (PAMB) through our Protected Area Management Office (PAMO), and of course the DENR in general,” DENR-XI regional executive director Atty. Ma. Mercedes Dumagan said during the Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas on July 16.
For instance, Dumagan revealed their PAMO is currently conducting a thorough inventory of existing establishments in the protected areas in the region to ensure that they are operating with necessary environmental permits and situated within the authorized zone of the protected areas.
Dumagan admitted that commercial establishments proliferated in the protected areas during the pandemic, and the restrictions brought by the pandemic limit them from accessing these areas.
However, following the recently reported resort at the foot of Mt. Apo, a protected area, operating without necessary environmental permits, Dumagan said that they have partnered with local government units (LGUs) to scale up its monitoring and enforcement activities in these areas.
In fact, in Mt. Apo, she revealed that, at present, “no new establishments were built in the allowed zone in Mt. Apo.”
As to the current resort owners in the authorized zone in Mt. Apo, Dumagan said that they have recently gathered all of them and assisted their applications for necessary clearances and permits to secure the Special Agreement in Protected Areas (SAPA).
“Some of them have already applied for PAMB clearance, some of them have already applied for ECC, and naa napod nakakuha sa ila og certificate of recognition from the NCIP. Kani kung makompleto ni nila, we will endorse the issuance of SAPA, mao na dapat ang ginagunitan sa tanang naa sa protected area,” Dumagan added.
(Some of them have already applied for PAMB clearance and Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC), and some of them have obtained a certificate of recognition from the NCIP. If they complete this, we will endorse the issuance of SAPA, which should be held by everyone in the protected area.)
Meanwhile, Dumagan clarified that as stipulated in the Expanded National Integrated Protected Areas System (ENIPAS) Act, “protected areas should have management zones.” These include the strict protection zone (SPZ) and the multiple-use zone (MUZ).
Under the strict protection zone, she explained that development activities are not allowed, saying, “These areas are highly susceptible to landslide, and these are also the areas where flora and fauna, biodiversity, are very rich, and where our wildlife resides.”
Dumagan emphasized, “Pag ang resort ay nasa strict protection zone, they have to demolish it, if they don’t self-demolish then we can have them demolished (If the resort is in the strict protection zone, they have to demolish it, if they don’t self-demolish then we can have them demolished).”
In contrast, the multiple-use zones are designated for development activities, ecotourism, agricultural and agroforestry activities, and establishment of roads and government facilities, Dumagan explained.
However, she affirmed that these developments are subject to the declared carrying capacity of the MUZ, and the development is only allowed if the developer secures the.
Moreover, Dumagan revealed that at present they have already issued 19 cease and desist orders, leading to the permanent closures of coffee shops, and restaurants, among others within the SPZ of protected areas in the region.
As for MUZ, Dumagan said that they have already reprimanded several establishments and prompted them to secure SAPA.
However, she emphasized that they are willing to file appropriate charges against those who will not heed their warnings on securing necessary permits.
“Katong mga resorts nga who did not heed our mga patawag, medyo gahi, wala gihapon sila nag-apply for public clearance, of course we shall be filing cases against them,” she said.
(Those resorts who did not heed our recommendations, are a bit stubborn, and they still did not apply for public clearance, of course, we shall be filing cases against them.)
She added, “The PAMO have already sat down with our legal division for the case build-up in case nga gahi gyud gihapon because we have given them ample time to comply with our requirements.”
(The PAMO has already sat down with our legal division for the case build-up in case they are still stubborn despite giving them ample time to comply with our requirements.)
Dumagan said that the region currently has seven legislated protected areas. These include the internationally renowned Mt. Apo Natural Park in Davao del Sur, and the Mt. Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary and Pujada Bay Protected Landscape and Seascape in Davao Oriental. (ASO/PIA Davao Region)
