DENR: Mount Banahaw still off-limits to public

LUCENA CITY — The protector of Mounts Banahaw and San Cristobal in Quezon and Laguna provinces on Sunday welcomed the lifting of a moratorium on the issuance of special permits to develop government-declared protected areas.

“It will bring tremendous benefits to Mounts Banahaw and San Cristobal. We will no longer just depend on the annual budget from the government for our assigned task to protect the mountains,” said Salud Pangan, Department of Environment and Natural Resources park superintendent for Banahaw and San Cristobal.

Republic Act (RA) No. 9847, which was passed in 2009, designates Banahaw and San Cristobal as “protected areas.”

On Friday, Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu announced that individuals, groups and companies can again apply for special use agreement of protected areas (Sapa).

Sapa is an instrument issued to private persons and groups that allows them to make productive use of a protected area identified under RA 7586, or the National Integrated Protected Areas System Act of 1992.

The DENR suspended the issuance of Sapas in 2011 because of the absence of a standard rate for the “development fee” imposed on applicants.

‘Strict protection zone’

But Pangan maintained that even with the renewed issuance of the Sapa, the two mountains will continue to remain off-limits to the public.

“Banahaw and San Cristobal will remain as strict protection zone, meaning no human activities except scientific research with at least three to five persons only and with corresponding PAMB (Protected Area Management Board) clearance and permit,” Pangan said.

The PAMB, a multisectoral body, was created by law to keep watch over the protected areas.

Closure remains

Since 2004, the PAMB has sealed off the bosom of the mountains to rehabilitate after years of abuse by pilgrims and trekkers.

The closure will remain until Feb. 19, 2019, to protect the gains from long years of reforestation and rehabilitation.

According to Pangan, the DENR only has a P1-million annual budget for biodiversity conservation/protection projects and programs to cover the 10,901-hectare Banahaw and San Cristobal range, which straddles the towns of Lucban, Tayabas, Sariaya, Candelaria and Dolores in Quezon province; and parts of the towns of Rizal, Nagcarlan, Liliw and Majayjay, and San Pablo City in Laguna.