MOST of the forest areas around the Daang Kalikasan in Mangatarem are covered by or applied for tenurial instruments between the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and people’s organizations and individuals for the purpose of reforestation.

This was gleaned from the briefing of Atty. Arlyn Katherine Buduhan, community environment, and management officer in Western Pangasinan, during the question hour on March 9 of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan as she confirmed the banner story of The PUNCH’s March 8 issue about rampant land grabbing around the Daang Kalikasan, and

in reaction to a proposed ordinance declaring all areas around Daang Kalikasan as protected areas proposed by Fourth District Board Member Jeremy Agerico Rosario.

Buduhan said 4,250 hectares of forest areas are covered or applied for under the tenurial instruments and another 2,000 hectares awarded under the industrial forest management agreement, many of which were signed long before the Daang Kalikasan was built.

There are also around 257 hectares that were applied for under the socialized management agreement and another 1,500 hectares covered by the National Greening Program and 205 hectares under the Forest Management Agreement, she said.

This led Fourth District Board Member Liberato Villegas to suspect that only 15 to 25 percent of the whole area around Daang Kalikasan are left and still uncovered by tenurial instruments, citing a reliable report he gathered from the DENR regional office.

Buduhan explained that the people’s organizations have been reforesting and rehabilitating the areas covered by the NGP but since the three-year lifespan of the program already lapsed, all these were turned over to the government through the DENR, making these available for adoption by qualified individuals and groups to reforest, protect and maintain the tree plantations and not convert the same for commercial purposes.

She said DENR already installed warning signs along the road given reports of alleged selling of lots in the area by persons whom she did not, however, identify.

She said some persons already came forward claiming some areas, citing one Mr. Flores who presented a title way back in 1934.  Still others came to DENR presenting titles dating back as far as during the Spanish time.

She said several notices of violations have been issued to illegal occupants in the Mangatarem and Aguilar areas while they are coordinating with the Department of Agrarian Reform for access of their records on the Certificates of Land Ownership Award (CLOA) it issued over the area if ever.

Second District Board Member Nestor Reyes who expressed his concern over the DENR’s continued inability to protect the coastal areas of the Lingayen Gulf from illegal occupants said he fears that the same thing will happen on forest lands around Daang Kalikasan.

Buduhan called on local governments of Mangatarem and Aguilar to report to the DENR any person selling lands around the Daang Kalikasan so proper legal action can be taken. (Leonardo Micua)

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