Lawmakers have voiced concerns over the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) decision to terminate its agreement with Masungi Georeserve’s developer; with one urging the President to intervene in the issue.
The lawmakers also warned that this move could pave the way for commercial exploitation of the protected area.
Former ACT Teachers party-list Representative Antonio Tinio urged President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. to intervene, asserting that the DENR’s actions contradict its core mandate of environmental protection.
Tinio highlighted Masungi Georeserve’s “exemplary” conservation efforts, which have garnered numerous international awards.
“In just a few years, Masungi has transformed from a degraded area threatened by illegal logging, quarrying, and land-grabbing into a model of conservation,” he stated. “They’ve planted over 100,000 native trees, protected endangered species, and provided sustainable livelihoods for local communities. Undoing this success would be an environmental crime.”
On Friday, the DENR announced the cancellation of its 2002 agreement with Blue Star, citing alleged “illegality” in the contract.
The department also demanded Blue Star vacate the 300-hectare site in Baras where Masungi Georeserve is located.
In a letter to Blue Star owner Ben Dumaliang, the DENR attributed the cancellation of the supplemental agreement to several issues, including the alleged failure to implement a planned housing project. Masungi Georeserve countered that the government has chosen “to go after those protecting our forests instead of those destroying them” by cancelling the agreement.
They also clarified that the housing project’s failure stemmed from the government’s inability to clear the area of illegal structures. “Throughout the years, Blue Star consistently communicated the importance and urgency for the DENR to fulfill its contractual obligations,” Masungi Georeserve stated on Saturday.
Senator Nancy Binay expressed concern over the “haphazard” nature of the DENR’s decision.
Binay called for a “win-win” solution to the dispute and urged the DENR to address the legal issues raised. “Protected areas like this are crucial for biodiversity, water, and climate action,” she emphasized.
Representative Raoul Manuel of Kabataan Party-List condemned the DENR’s decision, criticizing the department for portraying Masungi Georeserve Foundation as an “enemy.”
Manuel asserted that the DENR bypassed dialogue with the foundation and disregarded its previous commitment to await recommendations from the House after hearings on the issue.
ACT Teachers party-list Representative France Castro also denounced Blue Star’s eviction, calling it a “brazen attack on environmental conservation.”
Castro suggested the move was a prelude to opening the protected area to commercial interests. Castro and Tinio linked the eviction to prior attempts by the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) to establish its new headquarters in the protected area.