DENR: Closure needed for rehab of Mt.Apo

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is asking for public understanding on the decision of the Protected Area and Management Board (PAMB) to impose an indefinite closure of Mt. Apo after a huge fire burned portions of the Philippines’ highest peak.
DENR 11 regional director Joselin Marcus E. Fragada told reporters on Friday there is really a need to close Mt. Apo for the rehabilitation of the damaged portions of the mountain.
“I hope you understand because we have an incident here. It’s very difficult to say that we will close it three, four, five years,” he said.
Fragada said the members PAMB unanimously voted to close Mt. Apo because the board wants to put off the fire and have an investigation on the incident first.
He said the board also wants all the stakeholders including the DENR, local government units and the community within the area to be involved in the efforts to save Mt. Apo.
Fragada explained that the DENR has no hold on PAMB’s verdict because it’s a collegial decision composed of members from different sectors involving the protection of Mt. Apo.
He said the DENR only chairs the board and the decision was made by all PAMB members.
He said Republic Act No. 7586 or the National Integrated Protected Areas System Act of 1992 states “the board shall, by a majority vote, decide the allocations for budget, approve proposals for funding, decide matters relating to planning, peripheral protection and general administration of the area in accordance with the general management strategy.”
Earlier, Department of Tourism (DOT) 11 regional director Roberto Alabado III said the closure has a negative impact on the guides, porters and the community in the area.
He said the DOT is now asking a report from the local government units in the vicinity of Mt.Apo as to how many people will be affected by the fire.
Alabado said he estimated that 5,000 people climb Mt. Apo every year.
Fragada said he already explained to Alabado about the need of the closure of Mt. Apo because it is an eco-tourism destination and the concern of environment should be addressed first before promoting tourism.
“When you say eco-tourism it should be eco-friendly, the concern of environment first,” he said.
PAMB, earlier, decided to limit trekking to Mt. Apo in this year’s Holy Week to prevent forest fires from breaking out.
The board believed that fires can break out accidentally because of the garbage that can cause conflagration. He said fire could be triggered by indiscriminately threw cigarette butts or during cooking of campers.
For this year, only six entry points were opened to climbers.
Authorities set a limitation of 1,000 climbers for all trails due to the on-going El Nino Phenomenon and insufficient supply of water in Mt. Apo. Armando B. Fenequito Jr.