By Nimfa L. Estrellado DENR personnel and law enforcement officers inspect structures inside a resort in Infanta, Quezon during the enforcem...
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| DENR personnel and law enforcement officers inspect structures inside a resort in Infanta, Quezon during the enforcement of a closure order over alleged violations within a protected forest area covered by Presidential Proclamation No. 1636.(DENR Calabarzon) |
INFANTA, Quezon - Authorities shut down a resort in Infanta, Quezon after environmental regulators discovered alleged illegal structures and tourism activities inside a protected forest and wildlife sanctuary. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) also fined the resort operator P50,000 for violating environmental laws.
The order was issued by DENR Regional Executive Director and Protected Area Management Board Chairperson Nilo B. Tamoria. Authorities cited alleged violations of Republic Act No. 7586, or the National Integrated Protected Areas System Act of 1992, as amended by Republic Act No. 11038 or the Expanded NIPAS Act of 2018.
DENR Region IV-A said the resort allegedly built and maintained facilities and conducted business operations without securing Protected Area Management Board clearance and DENR permits. Authorities ordered the management to stop all construction, maintenance, and tourism-related activities within the site.
The cease-and-desist order was enforced through a joint operation led by the DENR’s Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) in Real town. Authorities said the operation targeted illegal resort activities inside the protected area covered by Presidential Proclamation No. 1636.
The enforcement team included the Infanta Municipal Police Station, Quezon Police Mobile Force Company, the Philippine Army’s 80th Infantry Battalion, and the local government unit of Infanta. Officials said the coordinated deployment ensured the orderly implementation of the closure order.
The operation also included inspections, monitoring, posting of closure signages, and verification of compliance with directives issued by the DENR regional office. Authorities said no untoward incident was reported during the enforcement activity.
Some residents identified the establishment as Lola’s Haven Resort, a mountain-side site operating within the protected area covered by Presidential Proclamation No. 1636. Locals said the closure formed part of a broader crackdown on structures and commercial activities inside protected portions of the Sierra Madre.
Signed on April 18, 1977 by former President Ferdinand Marcos, Presidential Proclamation No. 1636 declared large areas across Quezon, Rizal, Laguna, and Bulacan as a National Park, Wildlife Sanctuary, and Game Preserve. The proclamation protects forests, watersheds, wildlife habitats, and other ecologically sensitive areas within the Sierra Madre mountain range.
Protected area rules prohibit unauthorized construction, quarrying, logging, and other environmentally harmful activities without permits and clearance from the DENR and the Protected Area Management Board. Environmental advocates said the proclamation has also been used to block encroachment and large-scale development projects in critical watershed zones.
The protected area spans more than 146,000 hectares and serves as a habitat for threatened wildlife species in the Sierra Madre corridor. Environmental authorities said the landscape also helps shield nearby communities from typhoons and strong winds.
The DENR said the area contains primary forests, rich biodiversity, and ecosystems with potential for sustainable ecotourism if properly preserved and managed. The agency has intensified enforcement against illegal structures and unregulated activities inside protected areas amid growing environmental concerns nationwide.
The resort management has yet to issue a public statement regarding the allegations and closure order. Authorities also have not disclosed the name of the establishment as of Thursday, and no response from the operator has been released.
Some residents said stricter enforcement measures have also affected small roadside livelihoods in mountain communities. Locals claimed vendors selling bottled gasoline to motorists along upland roads were being required to secure costly permits to continue operating within the protected zone.
Environmentalist Oscar Bernardo Catilo said the enforcement action reflected growing concern over commercial activities inside protected areas in the Sierra Madre. He said stronger protection measures were needed to prevent environmental damage in ecologically sensitive zones.
“Hindi dapat gawing negosyo ang mga lugar na itinakda para protektahan ang kalikasan. Kapag pinabayaan ang ganitong paglabag, unti-unting mawawala ang kagubatan at mga likas na yaman na nagsisilbing proteksyon ng mga komunidad,” Catilo said.
Catilo also urged government agencies to sustain monitoring operations and strictly enforce environmental laws regardless of the influence of violators. He said protected forests serve as critical watersheds and natural barriers against destructive weather conditions.
“Mahigpit na pagpapatupad ng batas ang kailangan upang mapangalagaan ang ating protected areas para sa susunod na henerasyon. Hindi sapat ang aksyon kapag may reklamo lamang, dapat tuloy-tuloy ang pagbabantay ng pamahalaan at ng publiko,” he added.
Environmental advocates warned that continued encroachment into protected areas could weaken one of Luzon’s most important natural barriers against floods, landslides, and destructive storms. They said the closure of the resort reflects a growing push to enforce environmental laws in the Sierra Madre before irreversible damage is done to the country’s remaining forest corridors.
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