Senator Raffy Tulfo on Monday, March 18 disclosed that business establishments have been erected in the protected area in Mt. Apo in Davao City, saying that the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) itself has confirmed it gave these businesses only two years to operate in the vicinity of the protected area.

Tulfo raised the issue during his privilege speech at the Senate, a few days in response to the discovery of Captain’s Peak resort constructed within the Chocolate Hills in Bohol, which is also a declared protected area by the government.

The senator said a group of mountaineers raised this concern to his office saying the establishments can now be seen at the Mt. Apo National Reserve at the Digos side, particularly the Twin Mountain View Resort, Monte Frio Resort at Villa Recurso. 

“Labas na sa buffer zone itong mga ito, kung ang pagbabasehan ay ang nakita namin sa Google Earth and comparing it with the map of Mount Apo (These are already outside the buffer zone, if we base it on the pictures on Google Earth and comparing it with the map of Mt. Apo),” Tulfo said.

The senator said he is concerned about this development since just last year, President Marcos ordered the preservation of Mt. Apo as the Philipppines vies for its inclusion in the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) list of World Heritage Sites. 

“This statement of President BBM was sometime in October 2023, at dahil dito, parang nasilaban ang mga upuan ng mga taga-PAMB o Protected Area Management Board ng Mount Apo (and because of these, those from PAMB seemingly became distraught),” he pointed out.

“By November 2023, agad sila nagpatawag ng meeting upang aksyonan ang mga (they immediately called for a meeting to come up with an action on the) illegal structures without permits in the Multiple Use Zones of Mt. Apo and look into decline in the forest cover.  Ang tanong ko, paano nakalusot itong mga illegal structures? (My question is, how did these illegal structures came about)?” he pointed out. 

“In 2020, the Mindanao Development Authority flagged illegal mining operations and illegal cutting of hardwood trees inside the Mt. Apo Protected Area. It was confirmed at that time that local officials, protected by some Army soldiers, were behind the mining and clearing operations of forest areas.  Ginagawa nila ito upang maglagay ng (they do this in order to set up) banana plantation. 

“Marami pang problema ang bumabagabag sa (there are other problems that befell) Mt. Apo, tulad ng (like) land conversion for settlements, water pollution, introduction of foreign exotic species, presence of large communities, increasing population, destructive and inappropriate livelihood, and poverty in the area,” he said.

“Ano ba talaga silbi ng PAMB?  Bakit parang display lang sila sa mga protected areas natin (So what is really the role of PAMB? Why does it seem that they are just display in our protected areas)?” Tulfo pointed out. 

Tulfo said he supports the Senate inquiry called for by Sen. Nancy Binay and commended her for immediately filing a resolution calling for the legislative inquiry on the matter concerning Chocolate Hills.

“I hope that we could also look into other nature reserves and parks that are also being overlooked by the DENR, lalo na itong sa (especially our) Mt. Apo. Tama na po ang turuan (Let’s stop the finger-pointing),” he said.