CEBU CITY — A Cebu-based environment group promoting the sustainable management of freshwater resources is urging the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) 7 to issue clear-cut policy guidelines and strict monitoring in the issuance of Special Agreements for Protected Areas (SAPA) to the private sector, as a crucial measure for protecting watersheds, especially with the continuing El Niño crisis.

Architect Socorro Atega, Executive Director of the Cebu Uniting for Sustainable Water (CUSW) is alleging that the issuance of SAPAs to the private sector in the guise of eco-tourism development has resulted in problems instead of achieving its intended objective, that is, protecting the environment and improving the living conditions of inhabitants in target areas.

Atega explained that crucial areas situated near the Cebu Central Protected Landscape (CCPL) are now being occupied and with this situation, “our watersheds will be put in danger.”

He said that the CCPL covers the five major watersheds in Metro Cebu that were formed based on the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS) Act. “With these concerns, we are strongly urging the DENR to monitor the issued SAPAs and check if the owners are following the mandates of the law,” she said.

Further, Atega said that if the DENR continues to allow private entities to get SAPAs, restoration efforts to save the CCPL will be compromised, especially within the watershed areas, due to illegal quarrying and logging activities.

The CUSW director recalled that last year, DENR 7 approved the issuance of a SAPA to the Sudlon Tree Farm Inc. The group intends to use about 31. 74 hectares of land in Sitio Maraag, Barangay Sudlon, in this city, but unfortunately the area is located near a watershed.

Meanwhile, in a separate interview, a DENR7 representative said that, indeed, strict monitoring of SAPAs is being implemented by the agency.

DENR 7 Information Officer, Eddie Llamedo assured that the agency will look into allegations that the SAPAs are being misused. “We will see if the owners of the SAPAs have violated our agreements and we will also coordinate with the CUSW,” he said.

Llamedo also underlined that the agency will make sure that the protection, conservation and maintenance of protected areas will not be sacrificed for development.

Last year, DENR7 issued 16 SAPAs, nine of which are located in the Tañon Strait Protected Seascape, with the remainder in areas situated in Camotes Island and Cebu.