THE Protected Areas Management Board (PAMB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) will hold a general assembly and consultation in Sta. Fe, Cebu to create a general management plan (GMP).
The assembly will be held on June 25.
Dr. Eddie Llamedo, DENR 7 publication information officer, said it will gather stakeholders in Sta. Fe to propose which areas are defined or delineated to be within the multiple use zone and which ones are in the strict protection zone.
The GMP, Llamedo said, is included in the continuing mandamus issued by the green court in a decision over six resorts where certain structures are within the 20-meter easement zone.
He said the GMP should be submitted to the court. The plan also indicates where the mangroves and the nesting areas for turtles are.
Llamedo said there are 13 resorts in Sta. Fe, including St. Bernard’s Beach Resort, Yoonek Beach Resort, Budyong Beach Resort, Coral Blue Oriental and several rest houses.
The public consultation will be presided over by DENR 7 Executive Director Isabelo Montejo.
Montejo earlier ordered an investigation on alleged violations committed by Marlins Beach Resort in re-construction of permanent structures which were already demolished on order of the court.
Records showed that Montejo sent a letter to Marlins Beach Resort management that he received a report from Bantayan Island Wilderness Area (Biwa) officer Moreno Tagra that the resort built permanent structures, such as rip-rap, within the 20-meter easement.
But lawyer Edgardo Labella, counsel of Marlins Beach Resort, replied to Montejo that these are only old tires filled with sand to minimize the erosion of the beach fronting the resort.
Marlin’s Beach Resort owner Juvy Jaspa furnished the media a copy of the resolution of the Bantayan Island Wilderness Area dated Sept. 4, 2008, approving their proposed construction of Shoreline Rehabilitation Project.
Sta. Fe. Mayor Jose “Titing” Esgana said the structures of beach resorts which are now the subject of DENR’s demolition order saved the lives of several people during super typhoon Yolanda last Nov. 8.
Esgana said that if the structures that prevented erosion will be demolished, what is considered at present as 20-meter easement zone will become a sea and the area where resorts are located will become the area within the new 20-meter easement zone. (EOB)