DENR 7 Exec Says Sale of Land in Watershed Areas Illegal

An official of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) 7 said the sale of lands in watershed areas is illegal.

Ambrosio B. Wenceslao, chief of DENR 7 Watershed Section and focal person for the Integrated Natural Resources and Environmental Management (INREM), said tax declarations issued on lands located within watershed areas were declared illegal by former DENR Secretary Jose Atienza.

Wenceslao said that in some small municipalities where government watersheds are located, local assessors asked the DENR not to file cases against them because they just issued tax declarations for tax purposes.

Wenceslao said he will refer to the official of DENR 7 who is in charge of the Cebu watershed areas reports that farmers in Barangays Tabunan, Sudlon 1, Sudlon 2, among others, were able to secure tax declarations from the Cebu City Assessor’s Office for the watershed lots they are tilling and later sold these to rich families who are now engaged in piggery, orchids farming for export, and horse raising.

Wenceslao said some farmers were given tenurial right to till selected lands within the watershed areas, but they have no right to own it.

The Central Cebu river basins have a total area of 68,133 hectares and covers four major watershed areas, namely, Mananga with 8,716 has.; Lusaran Combado, 26,257 has.; coastal, 24,849 has.; and Kotkot, 8,311 has., he said.

Wenceslao said the Central Cebu River Basin Management Council (CCRBMC) was created to manage the watershed areas.

He said it is now chaired by Cebu Archbishop Jose S. Palma.

DENR 7 Regional Executive Director Isabelo Montejo said they are training members of the CCRBMC on Orientation and Practical Application on Climate Proofing for Development from March 4-6.

“This is to provide our CCRBMC members the appreciation on the importance of vulnerability assessment and climate proofing approach, which will guide them in all river management issues and concerns here in Central Cebu,” Montejo said. (PNA) LAP/EB