BAGUIO CITY (PIA) –Protection of the Cordillera environment gets a boost with two of its biologically important areas now among the newly legislated protected landscapes.

Republic Act No.  11685 or the Mt. Pulag Protected Landscape Act and RA 11688 or Banao Protected Landscape Act were signed into law by President Rodrigo Duterte on April 8, 2022.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources - Cordillera Administrative Region (DENR-CAR) explained that with the legislation of these two landscapes, stricter guidelines will be implemented.

DENR-CAR Regional Executive Director Ralph Pablo said that prior to the said legislations, they have been implementing the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS) but with the new law as their basis, they will be implementing stricter rules.

 
"The beauty of initial protected area to be enacted into law, meron na siyang budget coming from General Appropriations Act. Tapos meron na rin siyang staffing pattern, permanent positions," he added.

DENR-CAR Assistant Regional Director for Technical Services Maximo Soriano, Jr. bared that the Mt. Pulag Protected Landscape in Benguet covers 11,602 hectares while the Banao Protected Landscape in Balbalan, Kainga covers 21,567.83 hectares.

 
"These two protected areas are subject now for demarcation. Hopefully, with the next administration, we will be having a sufficient budget on the ground legislated boundaries," Soriano said.

Pablo explained that in Mt. Pulag, some areas will be designated as a Multi-Use Zone where the existing farms and gardens will be contained and managed. Stricter Protected Zone or 'No Touch Zone' will be declared to protect the biodiversity or the wildlife in the area.
 
"Stricter 'yung protection natin sa Mt. Pulag. Ayaw natin na ma-convert na vegetable gardens 'yan. We already have the law so mas ma-empower kami na to really implement the law," stressed Pablo.He said the Protected Area Management Board is set to meet to tackle the status of farming within the area

Meanwhile, Soriano said two other areas up for legislation are now in the various stages of congressional actions. The Lower Agno Forest Reserve has already undergone the review of the NIPAS Review Committee while the Upper Agno River Basin Forest Reserve is scheduled for another round of NIPAS review.
 
Other areas submitted in the regional office for legislation are the Casamata Hills Protected Area in Abra, Mt. Data National Park covering parts of Mountain Province, Benguet, and Ifugao, and the Marcos Highway Protected Area. (JDP/DEG-PIA CAR)