Nancy Binay (File photo from the Senate Public Relations and Information Bureau)
MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Nancy Binay has sought the intervention of the Senate to look into the plan of the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) to develop a 270-hectare portion of Masungi Georeserve in Rizal province for its new headquarters.
“The Masungi Georeserve is a symbol of sustainable development and at the forefront of efforts to conserve, restore and improve the environment in the face of climate change, which must be protected by the government and private sector at all cost,” Binay said as she filed Senate Resolution No. 495 on Feb. 21.
Binay, chair of the Senate tourism committee, filed the resolution after the Masungi Georeserve Foundation Inc. (MGFI), the private caretaker of the protected area that covers four villages in the town of Tanay, Rizal opposed the BuCor’s plan.
Possible consequences
BuCor acting Director General Gregorio Catapang Jr. earlier said that besides relocating its offices, the bureau would also construct housing units for its personnel in the area.
Binay said while the BuCor’s reason for developing the area was “reasonable, it is important to weigh the possible consequences of building its headquarters in an ecotourism site like the Masungi Georeserve.”
She said the plan “may affect the environment and tourism in the country.”
“Scientists from the National Museum of the Philippines had previously noted that developing the relocation site will have expensive consequences for the environment,” the senator noted.