Theft, vandalism expose Mt. Banahaw to poaching, intrusion

VIEW of Mount Banahaw, a protected area that continues to be under threat from intrusion and poaching DELFIN T. MALLARI JR./INQUIRER SOUTHERN LUZON

LUCENA CITY, Philippines—The theft of signs and fences that are supposed to help protect Mount Banahaw from poachers and intruders is keeping the job of forest guards very difficult.

Warning signs and advisories in strategic areas on the mountain would disappear as soon as these were put up, according to officials.

Steel wires that serve as a fence to mark prohibited areas are stolen.

Salud Pangan, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) park superintendent, said the theft of signs and steel fences was a common occurrence on Banahaw, a mountain still recuperating from years of destructive human activity.

To add to the frustration of forest guards in charge of keeping watch over Banahaw, the agency in charge of protected areas—the Protected Area Management Board (PAMB)—barely has funds.

The PAMB has a P5 share from every P20 entrance fee that DENR guards collect from mountain visitors. The amount has not changed since 2004.

According to Pangan, the total PAMB share from the Integrated Protected Area Fund has reached P1.9 million. The funds are, however, not being released yet by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).

“We need the money very badly,” Pangan said.

The disappearance of the signs and fence in Banahaw is causing confusion among mountaineers, pilgrims and visitors who are given access to the mountain, Pangan said.

“Some of the signs tell the mountain visitors what area is off-limits and what is public. Most of these tell the dos and don’ts,” she said.

She said some of the signs, which are made of wood, were used to repair homes by villagers. “The steel fence is also sure money at the junk shop,” she added.

Billboards and tarpaulin signs that are still standing are being vandalized, she added.

New signs, she said, are needed for the Holy Week, when thousands of pilgrims and cultists are expected to trek to Banahaw.

Up to 500,000 people are estimated to visit Banahaw during the Holy Week. The mountain has been closed to the public since 2004.