The City Government of Puerto Princesa through the City Environment and Natural Resources Office (City ENRO), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) through Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) – Puerto Princesa, and the barangay local government unit of Barangay Bacungan considered the Multi-Partite Protection Program in an effort to transform the denuded timberland area in Talaudyong, Barangay Bacungan into city’s emerging destination, supporting the locals through income generating activities.
Talaudyong is considered as a primary/ virgin forest in the city and home of endemic wildlife.
The area is part of the newly opened road implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) but was halted due to the opposition of the City Government since it traversed timberland area considered as core zone, a supposedly strict protection zone protected by Republic Act 7611 or the Special Environmental Plan (SEP) for Palawan. Core zones are areas strictly intended for protection and conservation of timber land.
Atty. Carlo B. Gomez, City Environment and Natural Resources Officer of Puerto Princesa said that the Office of the City ENRO together with other partner agencies and entities will secure the area to prevent future intrusions and occupation within a forest. Among his plan is to deploy guards to monitor and protect the forested area, partner with some identified local residents of Barangay Bacungan for potential income-generating tourism activities that will benefit the locals and the community.
The City Government of Puerto Princesa promotes tourism activities operated by the local community through the Community-Based Sustainable Tourism (CBST) program set forth by the City Ordinance No. 546, An Ordinance establishing the guidelines for Community-Based Sustainable Tourism (CBST) Development in the City of Puerto Princesa.
One of the objectives of the CBST program is to create and develop economically viable community-based tourism products and enterprises to provide opportunities for livelihood, employment and job creation that will contribute to the reduction of poverty and improvement of socio-economic conditions of local communities in the City of Puerto Princesa.
The CBST intends to showcase the rich diversity of the area while contributing to the socio-economic life of the locals.
In a meeting held the DENR-CENRO Office, Atty. Gomez proposed to CENRO Felizardo Cayatoc that the denuded forestland in Talaudyong be provided with personnel from his office to secure the area for a Multi-Partite Protection Program which DENR, City ENRO, and Barangay Bacungan will partner for a joint venture effort.
With the planned partnership, the site can be managed by the community with the support of the government agencies which later on can potentially provide livelihood opportunities to the locals and subsequently become one of the potential tourism destinations in the city.
The area will be constructed with a concrete gate and arc, and the entry of motorized vehicle be regulated to protect the timberland area from unscrupulous individuals who might destructively extract forest resources.
Cayatoc said that the rehabilitation plan which the contractor committed to undertake should be formalized through an agreement. The multi-partite team composed of the DENR, City Government through the City ENRO, and Barangay Bacungan should identify the species to be planted by the contractor. They shall also provide maintenance and protection to the plantation site for three years and the 85 percent survival rate shall be achieved.
He further said that the survey and assessment of the damaged area should also be immediately conducted to know the extent of the forest destruction in Talaudyong in Barangay Bacungan.
The planned potential destination in the city will not only protect the once denuded forestland, but will create economic activities and job opportunities for the locals, that will contribute in uplifting the socio-economic conditions of the locals and pump prime the economic activities in the barangay.
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