DENR to count dwellers in Central Cebu watersheds

Who lives within Cebu’s watersheds and where?

Which ones are legitimate occupants?

A census and registration will be made in 22 barangays within the Central Cebu Protected Landscape (CCPL) starting this year.

This will provide the DENR with basic data as basis for establishing management zones and buffer zones and to prepare programs like  alternative livelihood opportunities, said  Regional
Executive Director Maximo O. Dichoso of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

He said they wanted to determine the actual number of occupants within the CCPL and establish the location and size of the home lots and farm lots in the 28,312-hectare protected area.

The survey will include a detailed demographic study, assessment of socio-economic conditions of the communities and validation of proofs of occupancy of the lot claimant.

Among the problems faced in the CCPL are “illegal claimants” who sold the lots and built structures even in zones of pure forestland.

Dichoso said they will document the actual number of occupants and households and the extent of area occupied during the census, based on the last survey conducted on 1993.

A household head shall be considered a “tenured migrant” if he can prove his claim of occupying the area  five years before it was declared a protected forestland.

The CCPL covers  five watershed:  Buhisan Watershed Forest Reserve, Mananga Watershed Forest Reserve, Sudlon National Park, Central Cebu National Park and the  Kotkot-Lusaran Watershed Forest Reserve.

The Kotkot-Lusaran watershed is  located in the cities of Cebu, Talisay, Toledo and Danao, and in the towns of Minglanilla, Consolacion, Liloan, Compostela, and Balamban. Reporter Candeze R. Mongaya