No intention to close resorts near Mt. Apo

THE Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said that it is not their intention to close down the resorts near the buffer zones of Mount Apo.

Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga, DENR secretary, bared that the department does not intend to close down the resorts and other establishments operating in the area without a permit.

“We want to find a common ground, we are not only protecting the environment but the people who are working on these establishments as well," she said.

Yulo-Loyzaga added that she already communicated with the Monteferio Garden Resort and Twin Mountain View Resort to complete their permits so they could continue to operate.

“They will be given a certain period to comply with the necessary permits," she said. 

Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa said that he looked into the matter since he grew up in Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur, and expressed that it is imperative that the government and the community cooperate so the residents of the area will not lose their livelihood.

"Since I grew up here, I took it with me to look into the matter. The law may be harsh but it is still the law, we still need to find a common ground to protect not only the environment but the people as well," he said.

To recall, Senator Raffy Tulfo, who chairs the Senate committee on energy and the committee on migrant workers, raised concerns during his privileged speech about the resorts that were allowed by the Protected Area Management Board (PAMB) to operate in the buffer zones of Mt. Apo.

Tulfo said that he is concerned about the welfare of the mountain since it is vying for the United Nations Educational Scientific Cultural Organization (Unesco) list of world heritage sites. He said that PAMB only implemented a band-aid solution to the illegal structures erected in the area.   

Meanwhile, the DENR-Davao announced on their Facebook page the extension of the closure of Mount Apo Natural Park (MANP). This is after the result of their “careful evaluation” prompted them to extend the closure of the trails and access points in the mountain or hiking and camping until April 30.

Additionally, the 20th City Council of Davao City approved the ordinance declaring MANP a geopark on the third and final reading. 

Councilor Temujin “Tek” Ocampo, chairperson of the committee on environment and natural resources, expressed that the proposal to declare Mount Apo as a geological monument originated from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Davao Region (DENR-Davao).  

The move aims to bolster DENR’s bid for inclusion in the Unesco World Heritage list, specifically the Unesco Global Geopark (UGGP). RGP

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