Businessman Rodolfo Pineda is reportedly proposing the rehabilitation of Arayat National Park in Barangay San Juan Baño, which has been closed since 2024.
The proposal also includes the reopening of the facility to local tourism.
The project, however, will require the approval of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) before it can proceed.
Mount Arayat is classified as a protected area. In June of 1993, it was declared a national park with an area of around 3,700 hectares. Of these, 10 hectares in San Juan Baño was set aside as a resort.
Pineda recently visited the park to assess its current condition. He was accompanied by DENR and municipal officials.
The reopening of Park is expected to provide employment for residents, and help restore the site as a tourism destination.
Pineda submitted plans and a letter of intent to the DENR, which outline the proposed rehabilitation and development of the park.
DENR said Mount Arayat is home to 49 species of trees and plants, 86 species of birds, 14 species of mammals, and 11 species of reptiles.
A new plant species, Pyrostria arayatensis, was discovered in 2017 by a team of researchers from Angeles University Foundation and the University of Sto. Tomas in Manila.