DENR moves vs. structures in protected areas along Marilaque Highway

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) - has issued show cause orders against owners of the more than 200 structures built within protected areas along the Marikina-Rizal-Laguna-Quezon (Marilaque) Highway.

In a statement, DENR-Calabarzon Regional Executive Director Nilo Tamoria said the owners should explain why they are residing or operating in protected areas.

“Ito po ay proseso para mabigyan natin ng pagkakataon ang mga kababayan nating naninirahan o nag-o-operate ng establishment sa loob ng protected areas na makapagpaliwanag kung bakit sila naroon,” he said.

(This is a process to give the owners a chance to explain why they are residing or operating in those protected areas.)

According to the DENR, the structures were built in the designated road right-of-way by the Department of Public Works and Highways along Marilaque Highway.

The road traverses inside the Kaliwa River Forest Reserve, the Upper Marikina River Basin Protected Landscape, and areas covered by Presidential Proclamation 1636 in some parts of Laguna and Quezon, it added.

Tamoria said these areas are protected by Republic Act (RA) 7586 or the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS) Act, as well as RA 11038 or the Expanded or E-NIPAS Act of 2018.

He said the structures would affect the biodiversity in the protected areas

“Ang atin pong ginagawa ay bahagi lamang po ng implementasyon ng ating batas, kung may legal na karapatan pong manatili, ay irerespeto po natin iyon,” he said.

(What we are doing is just part of the implementation of our law and if they have a legal right to stay there, we will respect that.)

“Kaya nanawagan po kami sa ating mga kababayan na sumunod lamang po sa batas nang sa gayon ay wala po tayo maging problema,” he added.

(We are appealing to our countrymen to just follow the law so we will not have problems.) —Joviland Rita/KBK, GMA Integrated News