SENATOR Raffy Tulfo yesterday questioned the ability of Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo Loyzaga to lead the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

In filing Senate Resolution 985, Tulfo cited the Philippine Star article written by Jarius Bondoc alleging the Secretary’s conflict of interest involving her family’s ownership of about 40,000 hectares of land in the towns of Coron and Busuanga in Palawan called Yulo King Ranch (YKR).

In 1975, then President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. issued Presidential Proclamation No. 1387 declaring a 40,000 hectares land area in Busuanga and Coron as pasture reserve — a protected area owned by the state. But one year later, in 1976, the Yulos allegedly obtained said property.

According to the article, the YKR has been branded “the largest agrarian anomaly.” Every year, from 2015 until now, hundreds of farmers would hold a protest in Palawan as they request that the small 900 hectares land which is part of YKR be distributed and shared with them so that they can use and benefit from it.

Notably, Section 8 of the Republic Act No. 11038 or the Expanded National Integrated Protected Areas System (E-NIPAS) Act of 2018 mandated the Secretary of the DENR to carry out the mandates of the law to take care of protected areas.

However, Yulo recently issued a statement stating that the DENR does not intend to close down resorts built within the protected areas like in Mt. Apo, and instead she said that they will look for common ground to consider workers.

“Ngunit ang tanong ng mga environmentalist, bakit pa tayo magdedeklara ng mga protected area na kalaunan ay puwede palang patayuan ng mga resort at ang ibibigay na palusot ng DENR ay alangalang sa trabaho. Dagdag pa nila, malawak naman daw ang Pilipinas at mayroong ibang lugar na puwede ring tayuan ng mga resort na makakapagbigay din ng mga trabaho,” Tulfonsaid.

After the Senate hearing of the Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Climate Change last April 3, Tulfo said more people came to his office to report other protected areas that have been occupied by illegal structures, such as the Upper Marikina River Basin Protected Landscape and Ticao Burias Pass Protected Seascape. Also included is Mt. Apo and Chocolate Hills Natural Monument.

Under SR No. 985, Tulfo seeks to investigate all complaints about the violations done in protected areas, including the 40,000 hectares YKR issue. Among those who will be invited as resource persons are farmers in Palawan.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Camille P. Balagtas