Marcos urged to review eviction notice against Masungi Georeserve developer

The Masungi Georeserve Foundation urged Wednesday President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr to stop and review the 15-day notice issued by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources ordering the eviction of Blue Star, the property developer behind the Masungi Georeserve initiative

In a statement, the foundation asked the government to:

• Pause and review the DENR’s eviction order to allow for a fair and thorough review; and
• Engage in open dialogue with all stakeholders to find a just and sustainable path forward.

Early this month, the Environment Department announced that it has scrapped its 2002 Supplemental Agreement with Blue Star due to alleged issues on legality and failure to execute terms within the contract. 

In a separate statement Wednesday, Blue Star Construction and Development Corp. said it is now reviewing possible legal remedies after it received the notice from DENR cancelling the over two-decade-old deal and ordering it to vacate the premises of the conservation project in Rizal.

It said the 2002 Supplemental Joint Venture Agreement “played a significant role in the establishment of the Masungi Georeserve.”

The DENR is also demanding “with finality” that Blue Star vacate the premises covered by the agreement, particularly the 300-hectare area where the Masungi Georeserve conservation project is located.

“The notice was received at our official address via registered mail on Monday, 17 March 2025,” Blue Star said.

“We have referred the document to our legal counsel, who are carefully reviewing the matter to determine the appropriate legal steps,” it said.

The property firm added that it will respond to the matter “in due course through the proper channels.”

In cancelling its joint venture deal with Blue Star, the Environment Department cited the following reasons:

• Lack of required Presidential Proclamation declaring the subject matter of the contract for housing purposes
• No document to prove that the proposed construction went through regular procurement or bidding process
• Failure to deliver the 5,000-unit Garden Cottages housing project within five years from signing on November 15, 2002

Blue Star, nevertheless, called on all stakeholders “to engage with fairness and responsibility—ensuring that discussions remain rooted in verified facts, a shared commitment to environmental stewardship, and the protection of integrity of public-private partnerships.”

GMA News Online has reached out to the DENR's media channel for comment. The article will be updated once a response has been received.

“We call for justice to be upheld, ensuring that this matter is resolved with fairness and accountability for the benefit of the environment, the communities who depend on it, and the generations to come,” Blue Star said.

“For decades, Blue Star has been a faithful private-sector partner in advancing high-quality, sustainable development and innovative engineering, as well as safeguarding the country’s natural heritage,” it added.

The Masungi Georeserve is a conservation project in Rizal that has won international awards including the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDG) Action Award for Inspire Category in 2022.

Appeal to Marcos

In appealing to the President Marcos, Masungi Georeserve Foundation said the laws that protect Masungi’s lands were put in place during his father’s administration.

"Masungi stands as a beacon of conservation success in the Philippines, proving that public-private partnerships can restore degraded landscapes and protect our natural heritage. With the President’s leadership, we believe a fair and transparent solution will be reached for the benefit of all Filipinos," the foundation said.

It said the DENR decision threatens not only years of dedicated forest restoration, wildlife protection, and sustainable geotourism but also the livelihoods of up to 100 rangers and their families who have committed their lives to protecting Masungi.

"This eviction order weakens the very safeguards designed to protect Masungi’s lands. Any precipitous action to enforce the same, and even just the threat of it, can only embolden entities who have boldly asserted illegal claims in Lot 10 that Blue Star has assiduously  resisted through the years to ensure the land is not lost," it added.

It further said the order undermines the efforts of those on the frontlines of forest protection, making it harder to defend against illegal activities that threaten forests and watersheds. 

The foundation said Masungi is not just a conservation project as it plays a crucial role in protecting the southern Sierra Madre mountain range, often called the "backbone of Luzon." 

"The Sierra Madre, as well as the adjacent Upper Marikina Watershed, serves as a natural shield against typhoons and extreme weather, helping to reduce the impact of floods and landslides, which endanger countless communities," it added. —AOL, GMA Integrated News