After forest fire, DENR may close off Banahaw completely

After a fire razed about 50 hectares of forest land in Mount Banahaw, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources on Friday said it is considering closing the mountain to the public permanently.

DENR Secretary Ramon Paje said in a statement that the government is considering the ban "particularly [against] mountaineers and pilgrims, to avoid future incidents of forest fires stemming from human activities.” 

Though local authorities in Quezon Province have yet to release a report on the cause of the incident, authorities have said lit candles left behind by pilgrims may have started the fire, GMA News' “24 Oras” reported Thursday night.

The fire, which started in the Talong Ambon area at past 5 p.m. on Wednesday and took 19 hours to get under control, affected one of the three peaks of the mountain, covering about 50 hectares, according to DENR Region 4-A (Calabarzon).

Paje, however, reported that the fire also razed some 92 hectares of plantation within Mount San Cristobal in San Pablo, Laguna. Paje noted this is the third fire to hit the protected mountains of Banahaw and San Cristobal in the last four years.

Two fires damaged portions of the protected area in San Pablo City in Laguna and Dolores town in Quezon, covering a total of 80 hectares, in 2010.

Paje said he has already ordered DENR-Calabarzon to file charges against those responsible for the recent incident.

“We deeply condemn this act, whether incendiary or accidental, for it not only endangered the lives of nearby communities, but more importantly caused damage to the flora and fauna within Mount Banahaw,” he said.

It was earlier reported that 22 pilgrims sought permission to climb the mountain but were denied by the DENR- Protected Area Management Board. At least 13 of them went up the mountain on Sunday anyway.

On Thursday night, five of the 13 pilgrims–identified as members of the group Bundok Banahaw Incorporated–were rescued by the authorities and then brought to the Dolores Police Station for questioning.

A rescue team was still searching for eight other missing pilgrims as of Friday morning, GMA News' “News To Go” reported.

Paje said suspects in the forest fire could face charges for violation of Republic Act No. 9147, or the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act, which prohibits the killing of wildlife species and the destruction of their habitat.

The DENR closed off around 11 hectares on Mt. Banahaw in 2009, under Republic Act 9847 or the Mt. Banahaw – San Cristobal Protected Landscape (MBSCPL) Act.

The law was enacted to give the mountain a few years to recover from destruction caused by an influx of pilgrims who consider Banahaw a holy mountain. The supposedly enchanted mountain is also a famous destination for trekkers and religious devotees during the Lenten season.

Under the law, the ban is in effect until 2015.

Paje, however, admitted that some people have managed to slip past the cordons into the prohibited area.

In an interview on “24 Oras” Thursday evening, DENR Protected Area Superintendent (PASU) Sally Pangan said they are finding it hard to patrol the area due to limited personnel.

“Ang forest ranger ng Banahaw [ay] tatlo sa Quezon, dalawa sa Laguna...ang covering areas namin 10,900.59 hectares, two provinces yan, Quezon and Laguna,” Pangan pointed out.

Paje said he has already ordered the deployment of more forest rangers or park wardens to monitor Banahaw and San Cristobal.

The department has also coordinated with the military and police to establish check points in all entry and exit points of the protected area, he said.

Under the law, the pilgrims who went up the mountain without permission from the DENR may be penalized with a fine of P5,000 and imprisonment for one year.

“It is a key biodiversity area. Maraming species na nandun. At according to our local people, there about 80 percent ng mga halaman na makikita doon, may potential sa medicine,” said Biodiversity Management Bureau Director Mundita Lim in a separate interview with “24 Oras” Thursday.

While some portions of the mountain are still open to trekkers, Paje reminded the public to take precautions to prevent a similar incident.

“Our protected areas, which include our mountains, are very prone to forest fires especially during these warm summer months when there is less rain and the dry vegetation could easily catch fire from activities such as lighting campfires, using kerosene when cooking, and leaving behind trash,” he said.

Paje also pointed out that fires in these areas, especially when at higher altitudes, are harder to control or contain because of inaccessibility, a lack of water sources, and the wind.

“They quickly reduce to ashes those that literally take years to protect, rehabilitate or propagate, whether naturally or assisted, especially those that are endemic or indigenous to the area,” Paje said.

Paje said that forest fire management has been incorporated in the DENR’s forest protection program.

Measures undertaken in the program consist of identification, survey, mapping and monitoring of fire-prone areas; procurement and maintenance of firefighting tools and equipment; and propagation and planting of more fire-resistant species, Paje said. — Elizabeth Marcelo/JDS, GMA News