DENR to conduct survey on Cebu's protected landscape

CEBU, Philippines - The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR-7) is conducting a survey on the occupants of protected areas within the Central Cebu Protected Landscape (CCPL).

The Central Cebu Protected Landscape (CCPL) under Republic Act No. 9486 which was approved on June 7, 2007 covers a consolidated area of 28,312 hectares consisting of the Buhisan Watershed Forest Reserve, Mananga Watershed Forest Reserve, Sudlon National Park, Central Cebu National Park and the Kotkot-Lusaran Watershed Forest Reserve located in the cities of Cebu, Talisay, Toledo and Danao, and in the municipalities of Minglanilla, Consolacion, Liloan, Compostela, and Balamban.

DENR-7 Regional Executive Director Maximo Dichoso said the census and registration of protected area occupants covers 22 out of 55 barangays with a budget of P442,000.

Dichoso said the survey aims to determine the actual number of occupants within the protected areas and to establish the exact location and approximate size of home lots or farm lots.

“It also aims to check the period of occupancy over certain portions of the protected areas,” he said.

Dichoso said the activity is undertaken to provide the DENR with basic data as basis for establishing management zones and buffer zones and for the preparation of programs, including the identification of alternative livelihood opportunities for the occupants.

Dichoso explained that a household head shall be considered a tenured migrant if proven to have actually and continuously occupied a portion of the protected area for five years before its designation as protected area and solely dependent therein for subsistence.

Solely dependent for subsistence means food, clothing, shelter and health comes only from the utilization of resources from the protected area, Dichoso said.

“We will be issuing an official list of tenured migrants which is not (an) instrument that would grant security of tenure over their areas being occupied. It merely recognizes that they are qualified as tenured migrants of protected area,” he explained.

The survey includes a detailed demographic study, assessment of socio-economic conditions and validation of proofs of occupancy. The survey team is composed of the local government units, non-government organization and technical personnel from the Protected Areas, Wildlife and Coastal Zone Management Services.

The team is constituted to conduct the inventory to comprise the local government units, non-government organization and technical personnel from the Protected Areas, Wildlife and Coastal Zone Management Services.

They would also document and register the actual number of occupants and households and the extent of area occupied during the census.

The last census conducted was in 1993. — (FREEMAN)