The Masungi Georeserve, a conservation area about an hour-and-a-half away from Metro Manila, is facing yet another hurdle: the possible cancellation of the landmark agreement that brought it into existence
From property developers and quarry operators to illegal loggers and poachers, everyone wants a piece of the Masungi Georeserve.
Located more than an hour from Metro Manila, the 450-hectare private reserve is tucked away in the rainforests of the Philippines’ longest mountain range in the Rizal province. It is a vital conservation area home to over 400 species of flora and fauna, including rare and endangered ones.
Geotourism efforts and international recognition as a destination to preserve, however, have not prevented it from continuously being a target for exploitation. Land-grabbing, deforestation and quarrying are persistent threats, casting shadows over its environmental integrity and conservation efforts.
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Sisters Ann and Billie Dumaliang run the foundation that manages the conservation and tourism programmes in the reserve—and have spoken extensively of the challenges they’ve encountered in trying to protect this area paradise.
Two years later, the threat to this paradise seems more dangerous than ever.
Latest headlines on Masungi Georeserve’s plight have highlighted a possible cancellation of the landmark agreement that birthed the reserve. As this natural gem faces renewed threats, here’s what you need to know.
The agreement under threat
Since climate change advocate Toni Yulo Loyzaga was appointed as the Philippines’ environment secretary in 2022, it took a congressional investigation into the management of protected areas for her to speak about the 2017 agreement between the Department of Energy and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Masungi Georeserve Foundation (MGFI). However, the revelation was unfavourable: the environment department intends to cancel the contract.
“The legal grounds for the cancellation are what we’re calling void ab initio, given the advice of the Department of Justice (DOJ),” DENR secretary Loyzagatold senators during a recent live hearing.
“Who will benefit from this plan? Neither the Filipino people nor the environment,” said Billie, in response to remarks made by Loyzaga, whose appointment two years ago was supported by MGFI.
Billie stressed that the plan betrays the government’s statements that it is serious about protecting the environment, especially conservation areas. “Only the large-scale fraudulent claimants, land grabbers, quarries and swimming pool resorts have lobbied for the project’s cancellation because [the cancellation] will benefit them,” she said in a separate interview with the media.
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MGFI forged the groundbreaking agreement with former interim environment secretary, Gina Lopez, an environmentalist and philanthropist. The agreement gave the foundation the responsibility to reforest and rehabilitate nearly 3,000 hectares of degraded land in Rizal, situated east of Metro Manila.
Since the announcement by Loyzagatold, numerous environmental groups have shown support for MGFI. They have also called on the DENR to explore negotiations and open dialogues with the foundation, expressing concern that cancelling the agreement could make Masungi Georeserve vulnerable to exploitation and set a harmful precedent for conservation projects in the Philippines.