‘Blue guards’ to secure country’s protected areas

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) bared its plan to hire security personnel or “blue guards” to prevent individuals from illegally occupying the country’s protected areas.

Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu said this will be made possible through its field offices, and with the Biodiversity Management Bureau overseeing the protected areas’ administration and management on the national level.

“We will continue to make the preservation of the country’s protected areas a top priority this year by focusing on efforts to address the illegal occupation on these areas,” Cimatu said.

The DENR chief added, “We have taken for granted these protected areas. The perennial problem of illegal occupants is the reason why these areas are polluted and destroyed.”

With the enactment of Republic Act 11038 or the Expanded National Integrated Protected Areas System (ENIPAS) Act of 2018, 94 protected areas were added to the roster of legislated protected areas, bringing the total number to 107.

The public lands within these legislated protected areas are classified as national parks under the 1987 Philippine Constitution.

The DENR is also looking into tapping the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police to reinforce security in the protected areas.

Under the law, “occupying or dwelling in any public land within a protected area without clearance from the concerned Protected Area Management Board, is strictly prohibited.”

The violators of the ENIPAS Act, as amended, will be fined P200,000 to P1 million or will be imprisoned for one year, but not more than six years, or both.