DAVAO City Councilor Temujin “Tek” Ocampo, chair of the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, reminded the public that collecting fees from visitors at Asik-Asik Falls is prohibited, as the site is a protected zone.
Ocampo revealed that some visitors were allegedly asked to pay ₱60 to ₱100 as an “environmental fee.” He said the barangay captain once told him about plans to collect fees due to the growing number of tourists. But Ocampo stressed that charging fees in a protected area is illegal since recreational activities are not allowed.
"I don't know what happened, I don't know unsay ilang gibuhat or nagpadayon ba sila or naghimo ba sila og barangay resolution for that matter, basta akoang giklaro sa ilaha nga whatever their action will be it will be upon the responsibility of the barangay (I don’t know what happened; I don’t know what they did, whether they continued, or if they passed a barangay resolution about it. What I made clear to them is that whatever action they take will be their responsibility),” Ocampo said in a media interview, Wednesday morning, September 17, 2025, at the Sangguniang Panlungsod.
One of the survivors in the recent incident at Asik-Asik falls, Janelle Kaye Santiago, told SunStar Davao that locals asked her group to pay ₱60 before entering the falls. She said no receipts were issued, leading them to believe the collectors were residents.
“Mga tao man to didto. Two man to ka stops. Sa first before ka magsulod kay P30, nya sa second tung duol na siya sapa mismo another P30 per head (There were people stationed there. There were two stops — the first, before you enter, where they asked for ₱30, and the second, closer to the river itself, where they charged another ₱30 per head)," she said.
Ocampo said city ordinances already prohibit recreational use of protected areas unless coordinated with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and are strictly for educational purposes.
He recalled visiting Asik-Asik in 2023, where he saw vehicles parked, signage declaring it a protected zone, and people collecting fees. After introducing himself and informing them of the ban, the collection immediately stopped. He advised visitors then to avoid the area due to its dangerous terrain and to protect the environment by not leaving trash behind.
The City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) has also declared Asik-Asik a protected zone, warning of unpredictable conditions that make recreational visits unsafe.
"So it should be a stop, mao bitaw kami sa council naa man mi mga ecotourism spots sa city, but then again we need to reconcile both the national law and our local ordinance to make sure nga wala tay ma-violate nga provisions sa both, especially sa national law (It should be stopped. While the city has ecotourism spots, the council must align local ordinances with national laws to ensure no provisions are violated)," he said.
He emphasized prioritizing tourist safety, citing a recent incident where a sudden surge of water swept away visitors. He urged barangays with protected areas to strictly bar entry.
Ordinances to protect watersheds
Ocampo emphasized that Davao City has several ordinances in place to protect its watersheds and drinking water sources:
Panigan-Tamugan Watershed Ordinance of 2025 — approved on January 28, 2025, it safeguards the city’s primary water source against pollution and degradation. It strictly bans land conversion for tourism, unauthorized drilling of water sources, open dumping of waste, aerial pesticide spraying, and quarrying.
City Ordinance No. 0310-07 (Watershed Protection, Conservation, and Management Ordinance) — this ordinance provides the framework for watershed protection and created the Watershed Management Council (WMC) and Barangay Watershed Management Councils (BWMCs) to enforce the law.
The Watershed Code — this sets broader guidelines for conserving and managing the city’s vital watersheds to ensure a sustainable water supply for residents.
Ocampo said these laws are clear: protected areas are off-limits to recreational use unless properly coordinated with the DENR and limited to educational purposes.
He urged barangays to tighten security by deploying tanods, since Bantay Bukid volunteers cannot guard sites 24/7.
He clarified that neither the City Council nor barangays can issue resolutions to allow access, as these ordinances strictly prohibit it.
A lesson for Dabawenyos
Ocampo said the Asik-Asik tragedy should serve as a wake-up call. He said people may want to enjoy natural areas, but safety and environmental protection must come first. He also urged barangays with protected zones to keep visitors out and step up information campaigns.
Stronger disaster preparedness
Councilor Alberto Ungab, who chairs the Committee on Disaster Risk Reduction and Management, called for better prevention systems. While no equipment can yet predict disasters with precision, he said Davao should take a more proactive stance.
Ungab proposed creating a Multi-Hazard Emergency Warning System (MHEWS) designed specifically for the city.
We are looking for a possibility that we could have one only for Davao City and that would not involve different agencies in Davao," he said. RGP with reports from RGL