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Villagers want Banahaw gateway closed vs treasure hunting
By Delfin Mallari Jr.
Southern Luzon Bureau
First Posted 17:08:00 02/17/2008
TAYABAS CITY, Philippines -- Villagers living along the slopes of Mount Banahaw have asked the Sangguniang Panlunsod (city council) here to order the closure to outsiders of the gateway leading to the mountain because of unabated illegal treasure-hunting activities in the area.
A resolution signed on Friday by the village chairmen of Dapdap, Ipilan, Anos, Malaoa, Calantas, Gibanga, Alitao, Ilaya and Ibabang Bukal said that despite the classification of Mount Banahaw as a protected area through a presidential proclamation, the mountain’s slope on the Tayabas side has often been the target of numerous unlawful mining and treasure-hunting operations.
“The activities would greatly contribute to the destruction of the mountain [which] would also endanger the lives of mountain villagers,” the resolution said.
The village headmen urged the city council to pass an ordinance declaring the Tayabas side of Mount Banahaw off-limits to outsiders to safeguard their main water source.
Tayabas has several mountain trails leading to the bosom of Mt. Banahaw.
Last December, government operatives arrested 22 persons believed to be hunting the fabled Yamashita fortune on Mt. Banahaw.
Sally Pangan, protected area supervisor for Mt. Banahaw, has appealed to believers in the Yamashita treasure to stop their futile search because the illegal activities on the periphery of the mountain have left nothing but trails of destruction.
She said countless others have searched for the fabled fortune but she has yet to hear of any these efforts yielding anything.
Mount Banahaw and San Cristobal mountains are located southeast of Manila and straddles the municipalities of Lucban, Tayabas, Sariaya, Candelaria and Dolores in Quezon province and Liliw, Nagcarlan, Rizal and Majayjay in Laguna.
The two mountains were proclaimed a protected area through Presidential Proclamation No. 411 on June 25, 2003.
However, Congress has to pass a law making the mountains part of the integrated protected area systems as defined under the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS) or Republic Act 7586.
Three years ago, the Protected Area Management Board sealed off with barbed wire several trails leading to the bosom of Mt. Banahaw to start a five-year rehabilitation program to restore the mountain's natural resources.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources has made it clear that the wilderness inside Mt. Banahaw-San Cristobal is still off-limits to outsiders.
By Delfin Mallari Jr.
Southern Luzon Bureau
First Posted 17:08:00 02/17/2008
TAYABAS CITY, Philippines -- Villagers living along the slopes of Mount Banahaw have asked the Sangguniang Panlunsod (city council) here to order the closure to outsiders of the gateway leading to the mountain because of unabated illegal treasure-hunting activities in the area.
A resolution signed on Friday by the village chairmen of Dapdap, Ipilan, Anos, Malaoa, Calantas, Gibanga, Alitao, Ilaya and Ibabang Bukal said that despite the classification of Mount Banahaw as a protected area through a presidential proclamation, the mountain’s slope on the Tayabas side has often been the target of numerous unlawful mining and treasure-hunting operations.
“The activities would greatly contribute to the destruction of the mountain [which] would also endanger the lives of mountain villagers,” the resolution said.
The village headmen urged the city council to pass an ordinance declaring the Tayabas side of Mount Banahaw off-limits to outsiders to safeguard their main water source.
Tayabas has several mountain trails leading to the bosom of Mt. Banahaw.
Last December, government operatives arrested 22 persons believed to be hunting the fabled Yamashita fortune on Mt. Banahaw.
Sally Pangan, protected area supervisor for Mt. Banahaw, has appealed to believers in the Yamashita treasure to stop their futile search because the illegal activities on the periphery of the mountain have left nothing but trails of destruction.
She said countless others have searched for the fabled fortune but she has yet to hear of any these efforts yielding anything.
Mount Banahaw and San Cristobal mountains are located southeast of Manila and straddles the municipalities of Lucban, Tayabas, Sariaya, Candelaria and Dolores in Quezon province and Liliw, Nagcarlan, Rizal and Majayjay in Laguna.
The two mountains were proclaimed a protected area through Presidential Proclamation No. 411 on June 25, 2003.
However, Congress has to pass a law making the mountains part of the integrated protected area systems as defined under the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS) or Republic Act 7586.
Three years ago, the Protected Area Management Board sealed off with barbed wire several trails leading to the bosom of Mt. Banahaw to start a five-year rehabilitation program to restore the mountain's natural resources.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources has made it clear that the wilderness inside Mt. Banahaw-San Cristobal is still off-limits to outsiders.
