Tulfo tells DENR to tap confidential funds to protect Masungi
MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Raffy Tulfo is asking the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to act on reports of unauthorized and unlawful activities at Masungi Georeserve by using its proposed P13.95 million confidential funds in the 2023 budget.
“With this amount, maybe you can tap an intelligence network to find out who are the groups sowing discord in Masungi. We need to kick out those armed groups because even as we speak, they are still roaming there," Tulfo said partly in Filipino during plenary deliberations on the budget.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: Confidential, intel funds in the national budget
Tulfo said he expected DENR to be spearheading efforts to secure Masungi, which has come under attack from quarry operators, resort owners and other entities who illegally occupy forestlands inside Marikina Watershed, a protected landscape.
READ: Masungi bags UN award for fighting deforestation
“A lot of anomalies have been happening in Masungi, but the DENR is pretending to be blind and deaf,” the senator said.
The DENR has largely kept its hands off on disputes in Masungi, arguing that these are between the georeserve’s management and other land claimants.
READ: DENR asked to intervene in Masungi Georeserve dispute
Besides, the DENR said that the Department of the Interior and Local Government is already investigating the incidents. — Xave Gregorio
- Latest
- Trending
