THE Public Safety and Security Office (PSSO) confirmed that the demolition of Camp Eleaga Spring Resort in Barangay Malabog, Paquibato District, was conducted with proper procedures.
PSSO head Angel Sumagaysay stated that the City Engineer’s Office (CEO), the city’s demolition team, and the Davao City Police Office (DCPO) carried out the operation. He emphasized that the resort owner was fully informed beforehand.
“Katu tanan niagi sa tamang proseso before na issue ang summary demolition so well informed ang tag-iya unsang cause and that’s it niabot ang adlaw na i-implement ang katung demolition (Everything went through the proper process before the summary demolition was issued, so the owner was well aware of the cause. When the scheduled day arrived, the demolition was implemented),” Sumagaysay said during the Davao Peace and Security Press Corps briefing on February 26, 2025, at The Royal Mandaya Hotel.
The DCPO confirmed that the demolition took place on February 20, 2025. After an hour of negotiation, the owner allowed the demolition team to proceed.
Lack of permits
Lemuel Manalo, program coordinator of Interfacing Development Interventions for Sustainability (Idis), said that the resort was issued multiple notices before the demolition. He clarified that businesses operating without proper building permits are subject to demolition orders from the Office of the Building Official (OBO).
“Our position is also the same on what is stipulated in the zoning ordinance on our local building code requirements,” Manalo said.
Upon review, Manalo noted that the area was classified as a production forest zone, which allows only limited development, including agroforestry, reforestation efforts, and controlled tourism.
Under the current Zoning Ordinance, only two percent of the land can be developed.
He pointed out that another resort in Lake Macaduhong is also located in a production forest zone. Development in such areas must not involve tree clearing or slope alteration, and eco-tourism activities should be minimal and community-based. Structures must be non-permanent and built using sustainable materials.
The issue, Manalo said, arose because the resort lacked the required building permits, which were never properly verified. If the government had conducted thorough inspections, it could have enforced restrictions, as permanent infrastructure is not allowed in the area.
“Resorts should first secure permits to understand the regulations set by the zoning ordinance and watershed code,” he said.
Protecting Lake Macaduhong
Manalo said that Lake Makaduong serves as the reservoir for the surrounding community, and the Barangay utilizes it as part of its water system. Idis underscored that Lake Makaduong should be shared and not monopolized by any one entity.
He also said that if the resorts had acquired permits, the Office of the Building Official (OBO) and the City Planning Office would have guided them on the regulations and what was allowable based on their site development plan. Since this process was absent, the resorts violated local ordinances.
Manalo clarified that Idis is not against tourism but supports eco-tourism that complies with national and local environmental policies. While tourism can generate income and benefit local communities, it must be sustainable.
One challenge, he noted, is that many people remain unaware of the policies governing recreational activities in critical watershed areas.
Call to action
Manalo added that the advocacy is not limited to Camp Eleaga but extends to the demolition of all illegal structures, particularly in the Panigan-Tamugan Watershed.
He commended the Davao City government and Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte for encouraging the voluntary demolition of these structures.
Meanwhile, in a Facebook post on February 21, 2025, Camp Eleaga claimed it had complied with permit requirements and attended all hearings and conferences. It also stated that it had been paying taxes and keeping its documents updated.
“Pero kay mas powerful gyud ang amoang kalaban, na overpower gyud mi. Wa gyud kusog ang uyamot basta kwarta ug connections nay istoryahan (But because our opponent is much more powerful, they overpowered us. We have no strength because we are poor, especially when money and connections are involved),” Camp Eleaga said.
Concerns vs other resorts
Idis had also raised concerns about Sobsob Therapeutic Spring Water Resort, which was operating without approval from the Watershed Management Council (WMC). Despite being denied a permit in 2024 due to its location within the Critical Watershed Zone of the Panigan-Tamugan Watershed, the resort allegedly continued to operate in secret.
Idis is pushing for the area to be declared part of the Expanded National Integrated Protected Area System (E-NIPAS) under Republic Act No. 11038. This designation would impose stricter regulations on recreational activities and help preserve the ancestral domain of Indigenous Communities (ICs).
On December 21, 2023, Idis urged the public to avoid patronizing the resort, warning of potential harm to Davao City’s drinking water. The organization cited the Davao City Comprehensive Land Use Plan Vol. 2 Zoning Ordinance (2019-2028), which prohibits permanent structures in Critical Watershed Zones. RGP