THE Masungi Georeserve Foundation on Wednesday appealed to President Marcos to intervene in the eviction of its contractor, as well as review and halt the 15-day eviction notice from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
“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 in a statement.
The foundation lamented that the DENR order evicting the Blue Star Construction and Development Corp. threatens not only years of dedicated forest restoration, wildlife protection and sustainable geotourism, but also the livelihoods of 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 statement read.
Blue Star was tasked to undertake the construction of 5,000 housing units for government workers in a 300-hectare forest area within the Masungi georeserve.
The foundation urged the government to 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.”
DENR scrapped its 2002 supplemental agreement with Blue Star for alleged issues on legality and failure to execute terms within the contract.
Blue Star acknowledged receipt of the DENR’s notice on the cancellation of the 2002 supplemental joint venture agreement, which played a significant role in the establishment of the Masungi georeserve.
“The notice was received at our official address via registered mail on Monday, 17 March 2025,” the foundation said, adding “we have referred the document to our legal counsels, who are carefully reviewing the matter to determine the appropriate legal steps. We will respond in due course through the proper channels.”
“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.
“We urge 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. 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,” it stated.
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline “Masungi seeks Marcos intervention in dispute with DENR.”