Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Roy A. Cimatu on Thursday urged the public to consider visiting other local ecotourism sites in the country for relaxation while the controversial dolomite beach along Roxas Boulevard is temporarily closed to give way for other rehab works in the area.
The DENR chief even prodded the public to try visiting equally captivating ecotourism sites in protected areas (PA) near them.
In a news statement, the DENR chief said those living in nearby provinces who wish to rejuvenate their minds and bodies need not go to Manila just to see the dolomite beach.
“There are many ecotourism sites available in your localities for your enjoyment,” Cimatu said, as he encouraged the public to explore and discover these areas.
Protected areas are established under the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS), through Republic Act (RA) 7586, as amended by RA 11038 or the Expanded NIPAS Act of 2018.
The DENR chief, however, reiterated, “Health protocols must be observed while visiting these sites to ensure the safety of the visitors while enjoying the tours.”
“Those visiting PAs should expect to undergo the screening process and adhere to existing Covid-19 safety guidelines,” Cimatu added.
PAs are managed by their respective Protected Area Management Boards (PAMB) through the PA Management Offices (PAMO).
The rules and regulations issued by the concerned local government units for the safety of the tourists are also implemented in ecotourism sites within the PAs.
With the enactment of RA 11038, 94 PAs were added to the roster of legislated PAs, bringing the number to a total of 107.
This means prospective travelers have “a vast array of places to choose from,” according to the DENR chief.
However, most protected areas remain closed because of Covid-19 quarantine restrictions imposed by the government.
PA managers said they are still waiting for the quarantine restrictions to be relaxed aside from the fact that they need the approval of local government units to reopen and start accepting visitors.
The DENR is aware of the situation but is looking forward to the reopening of PAs, which also means generating much-needed revenues for the management of these areas set aside for conservation.