DENR seeks NAMRIA’s assistance in coastal easement clean-up in Puerto Princesa

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said it has started informing the affected establishments and households in connection with the clean-up of easement in Puerto Princesa City, and will work with National Mapping and Resource Information Authority (NAMRIA) in its delineation and implementation.

Forester Felizardo Cayatoc, Community Environment and Natural Resources Officer (CENRO) of the DENR-CENRO Puerto Princesa, said that they conducted a meeting with the residents in Barangay San Pedro and Barangay San Manuel, whose houses and establishments have encroached into the coastal easement, which is set aside as an easement and salvage zones and are strictly for public use.

He explained that they already started the planning process and execution plan, and another meeting is set next week to finalize their plan.

“Actually nag simula na sa Puerto Princesa this year. After sa meeting na gagawin next week ay malalaman na natin ang mga next steps,” Cayatoc said.

One of their strategies is their request for assistance from the NAMRIA, the central mapping agency of the government, in a bid to come up with an accurate delineation based on official maps and other available resources.

“Ang mangyayari kasi ay bababa yung NAMRIA at sila ang mag delineate,” he explained.

He explained that the BM residents agreed that if the DENR have already installed markers, they are willing to remove any illegal structures that encroached into it, what the residents and informal occupants wanted to know as of the moment is the exact point of the easement zone.

“Willing rin naman daw sila na mag -atras once na establish o na markahan na yung easement and salvage zones,” he further said.

Cayatoc further said that they will clean the easement in different parts of the city, and they will be prioritizing areas in tourism destinations.

He said that they will include the easement in Sabang near the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park (PPSRNP) so that it will be officially declared and delineated.