Portions of Mounts Banahaw, Cristobal off-limits for 3 more years

 

Portions of Mounts Banahaw and Cristobal will remain off-limits to trekkers until 2019, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said. 

Off-limit areas starts in Kinabuhayan towards the approach to Kristalino Falls to Dungaw, to Tatlong Tangke and back to Kinabuhayan in Dolores, Quezon; and Puesto Pagbuga in Barangays Bugon and Bagong Ilaya in Barangay Concepcion, Pinagbakuran and Concepcion Banahaw on the side of Sariaya, Quezon.

In the province of Laguna, parta of Barangay Bukal in Nagcarlan; Barangay Ilayang Sungi and Novaliches in Liliw; and Barangays Bukal and Taytay in Majayjay are off limits.

DENR Calabarzon Regional Director Reynulfo Juan, also chairman of the Protected Area Management Board (PAMB) of Mount Banahaw-San Cristobal Protected Landscape said majority of the members of the board agreed in passing the resolution on the continued moratorium on certain areas of the MBSCPL until February 19, 2019.

The moratorium would have been lifted this year.

Juan said some members proposed a shorter period of one year but agreed as one body that further preparations should be made before lifting the moratorium.

He pointed out that PAMB's decision was based on the members' recommendation that preparedness in disaster risk reduction and management of the local government units, should be primarily assured.

Since the municipality of Dolores in Quezon province is the most visited part of Mount Banahaw, the local government unit should come up with mechanisms to protect the area.

The Dolores side of the protected area, as well as the Lucban side, also in Quezon, are found to be highly susceptible to landslides, erosion, flash floods and fire.

Juan said preparation is a must for the concerned LGUs particularly in the strict implementation of the "carrying capacity" or limiting the number of persons at one time within specific a specific site, in "puestos" or pilgrim sites.

He added that a visitor management scheme should be in place.

PAMB also recommended a continued conduct of biodiversity monitoring and assessment and water quality monitoring.

Gene Beloso of the Quezon Provincial Government Environment and Natural Resources Office said he was for the extension of the moratorium for another year, but the PAMB should prepare for the lifting.

He emphasized the need for thorough assessment of the resultant effect of the closure and if the reasons for its closure, since 2004, such as water quality or presence of coliform and other contaminants, and other factors have been resolved.

Oliver Viado, chief of DENR-Calabarzon's Conservation and Development Division is optimistic that the conduct of the assessment on biodiversity and preparation of the PAMB and stakeholders in the implementation of the management plan for the protected area, particularly in the multiple use zones and in the strict protection zones, can be completed in one year.

Randy Matibag, municipal environment and natural resources officer of Dolores was open to a more long term extension of the moratorium, but his office will have to prepare in the event of its lifting after a year.

Meanwhile, Salud Pangan, Protected Area Superintendent of MBSCPL said that animal and plant wildlife have somewhat flourished in the areas with restricted human activity.

She said the rafflesia, said to be the largest flower, has been seen in some parts of the mount. Birds and other animal wildlife have also been seen in bigger numbers.

MBSCPL was declared as such by Republic Act 9847 passed in 2009.

The protected area spans 11,133.30 hectares straddling the provinces of Laguna and Quezon. — Virgil Lopez/APG, GMA News