To protect and conserve the natural sites that the Philippines is well-known for, stricter rules and regulations by relevant government officials and departments may be the answer
Philippine heritage is not only the soul of the nation and the identity of its people, but also a boost to tourism and the local economy. So, why are heritage and protected sites difficult to protect and conserve?
Bohol’s Chocolate Hills, a UNESCO Global Geopark and a protected area, made local headlines recently over resorts – such as Captain’s Peak Resort – that should not have been allowed to operate within.
However, these resorts are insignificant when compared with the bigger offenders, such as corporations that consign vintage buildings and houses to the wrecking ball in favour of more profitable ventures, as well as the owner of a high-rise residential building near Rizal Park in Manila that obstructs the view of national hero Jose Rizal’s monument. The list goes on.
Masungi Georeserve in Rizal Province, internationally acclaimed for its conservation, sustainable and eco-tourism initiatives, is warding off various quarters, including government agencies, businesses, and landgrabbers who are keen on having a piece of the land.
A battle is now on between the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and Masungi Georeserve Foundation (MGF). DENR claims that an agreement it signed MGF in 2017 had been void from the start, as the law only grants 25 years to private sector project proponents. While DENR wants to change the agreement, MGF is arguing that it does not engage in the business for profit but to rebuild and re-wild the forest, highlighting its successes.
Meanwhile, the Bureau of Corrections under the Department of Justice is looking to relocate its national headquarters and the country’s biggest prison to Masungi.
Even as the historic walled city of Intramuros continues to undergo improvements and conservation, the issue of informal settlers remains. There are about 2,000 families still living there and waiting to be relocated to the outskirts.
These instances show the disconnect between preserving national treasures and the complications of adhering to governing rules and regulations, stated Bill Barnett, managing director, C9 Hotelworks.
While those who violated the laws and used technicalities to get away with their deeds eventually got caught, the government agencies (both local and national) that issued permits to these culprits should be held accountable.
Addressing this, the Office of the Ombudsman ordered the “preventive suspension” of six months for 69 national and local government officials in Bohol to keep them from influencing the investigation into the Chocolate Hills resorts. Among these are Bohol’s governor, mayors and ex-mayors, DENR officials, and town captains.
Ivan Henares, secretary general of UNESCO National Commission of the Philippines, said one of the thrusts of his office and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts Sub-Commission on Cultural Heritage for this year and the next is for training as well as the capacity building of local government officials, in particular for environmental and heritage protection, conservation, sustainability and cultural sensitivity.
“If the people approving (the demolition and construction in heritage sites and protected areas) don’t understand these basic concepts, there’s no way we can prevent these things from happening in the future,” Henares opined in an interview by ANC Digital broadcaster Karmina Constantino several months ago.
Henares said it was essential to balance development with environmental protection in order to be sustainable, citing the example of ongoing reclamation in Manila Bay which, although satisfied all the technical requirements, meant trouble for the environment. “We know that with this new reclamation, there will be more flooding in areas already affected by floods and (also) areas not affected by floods,” he pointed out.
Proposing an “implementable” national policy for preservation of historic sites regardless of their ownership, Aileen Clemente, president and CEO of Rajah Travel Corporation, emphasised: “The national and local policies should include – but not be limited to – tourism plans, preservation rules and guidelines based on those as required by the United Nations, and include sustainability practices.”
The bottomline, Clemente said, is to “never sacrifice heritage for immediate profit and business interest”.
While DENR regulates and saves the environment, it also has extraction aspects including mining. Henares suggested that DENR should have a dedicated department focused on protection.
One silver lining, though, is that the antique churches in Bohol’s Chocolate Hills, which are considered National Cultural Treasures, were all properly restored to their original design after they were flattened by the 2013 earthquake. In addition, Ifugao Rice Terraces has been removed from the UNESCO List of World Heritage in Danger, meaning that “we are relatively successful in protecting our rice terraces”, shared Henares.
Other UNESCO Heritage Sites that are doing well include the Puerto-Princesa Subterranean River National Park, Historic City of Vigan, four baroque churches of the Philippines, and Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park.
MGF trustees, Ann and Billie Dumaliang, have resorted to social media to raise public awareness. It urged the public to sign a petition against nullifying the Masungi Georeserve project. Friends of Masungi held the #rockformasungi Solidarity Event, which saw an attendance of 500, comprising park rangers, the indigenous Dumagat community, environmental advocates, and government leaders.
The Save Masungi Movement also had the support of the international community, including Jane Goodall, Greta Thunberg, and Sting, among others.
In all, there is still salvation for the country’s heritage sites.
