TUBA, Benguet – The scenic Mount Sto. Tomas forest reservation will be opened for agri-tourism purposes once the appropriate facilities shall have been put in place by concerned government agencies and the local government of Tuba, an official of the Cordillera office of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR-CAR) said here recently.
Engr. Ralph C. Pablo, DENR-CAR regional director, said the current situation in Mount Sto. Tomas does not call for its reopening to tourists because the necessary facilities and amenities have not yet been put in place and that its forest management and land use plan is still being subjected to consultations with stakeholders.
He pointed out one of the issues being addressed by the Mount Sto. Tomas steering committee is the zoning of the reservation so that everything will be put in place before it will be officially opened to tourists.
“We already brought the concern on the absence of tourism facilities to the Department of Tourism while the agriculture aspect was referred to the Department of Agriculture for all issues and concerns to be effectively and efficiently addressed in preparation for the proposed re-opening of the reservation to the public,” Pablo stressed.
The DENR-CAR official said there must be available comfort rooms, parking areas, view decks among others, within the zoned areas so that visitors will be able to enjoy their visit, unlike its present condition where such facilities are absent.
According to him, garbage collection and disposal is also one of the concerns being discussed by the members of the steering committee so that visitors will have some place to dispose of their waste.
He said there is no need to rush things just to re-open Mount Sto. Tomas to tourists because appropriate facilities must first be in place and fees to be charged have been determined so that there will be uniformity in actions to prevent confusion among visitors to this scenic mountain which commands a panoramic view of Baguio City and the lowlands.
Mount Sto. Tomas forest reservation was closed to the public following the writ of kalikasan issued by the Court of Appeals against the development of the property of former Baguio City Rep. Nicasio M. Aliping, Jr. and other tourism-related activities considering that the reservation should be beyond human activities.
Pablo appealed to the residents and visitors for understanding on the closure of Mount Sto. Tomas for tourism activities because concerned agencies and the Tuba municipal government are closely working together to put things in order before the re-opening of the reservation for trekkers and nature-lovers.
Proclamation No. 581 issued on July 8, 1940, declared the over 3,000 hectares covering the Mount Sto. Tomas mountain range as a forest reservation and properties within the said reservation are inalienable and indisposable.
By HENT
Shame on you politicians! Is that what you call forest preservation? Look what happened to baguio city itself, over populated, most polluted city in the country, summer capital of the Philippines? Not anymore!