Masungi Georeserve urges Marcos to ‘intervene’ with eviction notice from DENR
The Masungi Georeserve Foundation urged President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to “pause and review” the eviction order that Blue Star received from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
Blue Star, Masungi’s conservation partner, received a 15-day notice from DENR to vacate the 300-hectare area in Rizal.
“We plead with President Marcos Jr. to intervene. The very laws that protect Masungi’s lands were put in place during his father’s administration, recognizing the importance of conservation for the nation’s future,” Masungi said in a statement.
It added that the government must “engage in open dialogue with all stakeholders to find a just and sustainable path forward.”
The order to vacate was sent on March 7 after DENR canceled its 2002 Supplemental Agreement with Blue Star due to “illegality, failure to go through a bidding process, and failure to execute.”
“This abrupt decision threatens not only years of dedicated forest restoration, wildlife protection, and sustainable geotourism but also the livelihoods of up to 100 hardworking rangers and their families who have committed their lives to protecting Masungi,” the foundation said.
The foundation claimed in a previous statement that “it is the DENR who is at fault here” and the department “has opted to evade meaningful discussions.”
“Masungi stands as a beacon of conservation success in the Philippines, proving that public-private partnerships can restore degraded landscapes and protect our natural heritage,” it said.
“With the President’s leadership, we believe a fair and transparent solution will be reached for the benefit of all Filipinos.”
The foundation also emphasized Masungi’s “crucial role” in protecting the southern Sierra Madre mountain range, which “serves as a natural shield against typhoons” and helps “reduce the impact of floods and landslides.”
It added, “The order undermines the efforts of those on the frontlines of forest protection, making it harder to defend against illegal activities that threaten our forests and watersheds.”
Since DENR canceled the agreement, various groups and individuals have shown support for Masungi, including Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte and Senator Nancy Binay.
In the 1990s, the area was under constant threat of land grabbing, illegal logging, and large-scale quarrying. The Masungi Geopark Project was created in 2017 to restore 2,700 hectares of degraded forestland.
