Masungi to Chocolate Hills

ENVIRONMENT Secretary AnM tonia Yulo-Loyzaga, during a congressional@hearingL@announced@ the@planned@cancellation@of@her@deM partment’s 2017 memorandum of agreement with the Masungi GeoM reserve Foundation Inc. (MGFI) for the conservation of 2,700 hectM ares of the Upper Marikina River Basin Protected Landscape (UMM RBPL). This was one of the most lasting and successful endeavors of the late environment secretary Gina Lopez, which has received local and international acclaim because of the great conservation work being done by the MGFI.

Secretary Yulo-Loyzaga told the Senate hearing: “The MaM sungi Georeserve issue is very complex. When I came into this office, I started to inquire about the background and history of this, particularly the controverM sial agreement. This has been ongoing for the last five years in terms of whether this agreement should@be@respectedL@…ho@should@ be part of it, etc. Whether or not it’s in fact in contravention of the Constitution or not.”

To put matters into context, it must be understood that the MaM sungi Georeserve is a small part of the UMRBPL. The UMRBPL covers a vast expanse of land enM compassing the upper portion of the Marikina River watershed, as …ell@ as@ the@ surrounding@ forestsL@ mountains and diverse ecosysM tems. Established in 2000 through Presidential Proclamation 296, the UMRBPL spans approximately 26,125 hectares and is managed by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

The Masungi Georeserve is a special conservation area within the UMRBPL known for its limeM stone formations, biodiversity and eco-tourism initiatives. Masungi Georeserve plays a significant role in preserving natural ecosystems, promoting sustainable developM ment, and fostering environmenM tal stewardship in the Philippines.

The MGFI is the foundation that@has@taken@the@bold@step@to@ carry on the load for the enviM ronmental protection and reforM estation of the 2,700 hectares covered by the Masungi Geopark Project. I have visited the geopark project once and have witnessed the great work and impressive efforts done by these devoted environmental volunteers.

The efforts in the Masungi Geopark Project have been an inspiration to many environM mentalists both here and abroad. It is truly a success story of a world-class Filipino environment project on the global stage that we should all be proud of.

According to reports, it was spotlighted at the 2024 World Economic Forum in Davos as one@ of@ the@ best@ practices@ in@ the@ world for ecosystem restoration. It also won the 2022 UN SustainM able Development Goals Action Campaign Inspire Awards.

At the same time, in its short seven years of operations, the MGFI has stirred the hearts and opened the minds of many Filipinos about the importance of@ …atersheds@ in@ general@ and@ in that part of the country. The deployment of forest rangers and environmental volunteers has drastically eliminated illegal logM ging and pollution activities and has successfully planted a great new army of trees from which many generations can benefit.

The announcement that it will be canceled (or declared void ab initio) by the DENR could not have come at a worse time when the nation has been gripped by the ne…s@and@photos@of@a@resort@and@ swimming pool smack in between the Chocolate Hills of Bohol.

Accordingly, this happened despite having a Protected Area Management Board (PAMB) overseeing the conservation and protection@ of@ the@ iconic@ area@ in@ Bohol. Moreover, the DENR is an important part of PAMB and comM prises other local officials and repM resentatives from the private sector.

The existence of resorts and other commercial establishments …ithin@ a@ declared@ protected@ area@ is nothing new in the Philippines. In fact, this is one of the greatest challenges that Masungi faces. There have been reported resorts with swimming pools and other commercial structures within the area of Masungi Geopark, which MGFI has continually locked horns with. In addition, it has been@reported@that@there@are@other@ influential@ and@ …ellMconnected@ parties that have commercial interests@ in@ the@ resources@ found@ …ithin@the@areaL@…hich@…ould@run@ counter to the current conservaM tion efforts by the MGFI.

However, the conclusion by SecM retary Yulo-Loyzaga that the 2017 agreement suffers from a congenital defect for having been void from the very beginning is said to have been premised on a Department of Justice