WORTH THE SACRIFICE – Masungi Georeserve Foundation (MGF) staff members celebrate their latest global recognition at the geopark’s web-like observation post. The colors represent the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals that bind countries to work for peace and prosperity. (MGF photo)
MANILA, Philippines—”We are pro-environment,” Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla stressed on Monday when asked about plans of relocating the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) headquarters to a 270-hectare section of the Masungi Georeserve, a protected forest area in Rizal province.
Remulla said they are still in the “exploratory stage,” consulting stakeholders to ensure an environment-friendly facility is constructed.
“Actually, wala pa namang final decision doon (Actually, there is no final decision yet on the matter).But definitely, we will be needing some of the land na hindi kasama sa reserve,” Remulla told reporters in an ambush interview at the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City after he presided over the release of over 400 inmates.
“There should be no problem since we are pro-environment. Hindi natin kalaban ang environment dito. May mga tao lang siyempre na alarmist tungkol dito (There are people who are alarmists),” he added.
At first, according to what Remulla indicated, the plan was to keep Masungi intact while putting the unused land to good use.
BuCor acting Director Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr. said among those that they will be consulting will be environment advocates to get their views about the construction plan.
“We are very much willing to talk to all of them. We will sit down with them,’ he said, adding he already met with a friend who is close to several environment advocates to sound out their opposition.
He also plans to talk to the UP School of Urban and Regional Planning about developing and preserving the area.
“Yesterday, my good friend Gabby Lopez sent me a proposal to hear from the UP School of Urban and Regional Planning on how to develop the area,” he said.
The plan to build a BuCor facility comes from Proclamation No. 1158, signed by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
The proclamation reserved some 270 hectares in Brgy. Cuyambay, Tanay Rizal as “a new site of the New Bilibid Prison and field office site of DENR-Calabarzon”
It allocates 30 hectares of the area to the DENR Calabarzon field office.