Senator Raffy Tulfo has revealed that various illegal structures were built within the vicinity of Mt. Apo in Davao, regarded as the highest mountain in the Philippines.
In a press conference with Senate media on Monday, March 18, Tulfo mentioned that structures are erected despite the Mt. Apo Natural Park being declared a protected area under Republic Act No. 9237, or Mount Apo Protected Area Act of 2003.
"Iniimbestigahan na namin iyan. In fact, hindi lamang sa Bohol, maging sa Mt. Apo sa Davao. Ganon na ganon ang nangyari, within the buffer zone, naglipana na parang kabuti ang mga iba-ibang istraktura, mga negosyo na bawal dapat because that's a protected area. Paano napayagan?" he said.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), according to Tulfo, admitted that it gave authorization for the construction of the illegal structures.
"Tapos binigyan ng two years na palugit [para isara] yung iba doon na ilegal ang pagtayo. In the first place, bakit pinayagan? Dapat hindi napatayo. Ngayon nandyan na sila, nakapagnegosyo na, nabastos na ang kaliksan, bibigyan mo pa ng 2 years? Dapat agag-agad ang closure," he added.
The senator vowed that DENR would be thoroughly questioned in the next Senate hearing.
Tulfo made the revelation following the discovery of a resort in the middle of the Chocolate Hills in Bohol which is also declared a protected area under Republic Act 11038, or Expanded National Integrated Protected Areas System of 2018.
Senator Nancy Binay, the chairperson of the Senate Committee on Tourism, called for an inquiry in aid of legislation into the viral resort in a bid to "help protect the Chocolate Hills from destruction."
Makabayan bloc lawmakers also filed a House resolution seeking to investigate the construction of the Captain's Peak resort that operates without an environmental compliance certificate.
