The day the TV series Forevermore hit the boob tube was also the same day that the sleepy farming village of Sitio Pungayan in the municipality of Tuba, Benguet became an instant tourist attraction. Twas also the same day that the fictional village of Sitio La Presa was born where Agnes and her family lived and Xander, the other protagonist of the series, unexpectedly messed up their once peaceful lives. And just like the entry of Xander into Agnes life, Sitio Pungayan or should I say, Sitio La Presa has also turned into an overnight sensation. La Presa has become a household name nowadays, thanks to the popularity of Forevermore. But the continuous commercialization and degradation of Sitio Pungayan has also come to an abrupt conclusion courtesy of this article from the Baguio Midland Courier dated May17, 2015 which read: CA writ blocks further dev’t in Mt. Sto. Tomas by Jimmy K. Laking and Harley F. Palangchao The Court of Appeals has ordered Baguio Rep. Nicasio M. Aliping, Jr. to permanently cease and to desist from developing or enhancing a piece of land in Mount Sto. Tomas and to mitigate soil erosion caused by his earth-moving activities. At the same time, the CA ordered Tuba Mayor Florencio Bentrez to “cease and to desist from issuing any and all kinds of permits to conduct activities within the forest reserve, including but not limited to the operation of businesses and the use of the area for filming movies and television shows, without clearance from the DENR, and to cancel the permits already issued.” The CA issued the orders in a decision that granted the privilege of a Writ of Kalikasan and a Writ of Continuing Mandamus against further development in Mt. Sto. Tomas. The decision also made permanent a temporary environmental protection order it issued last year. The Writ of Kalikasan is directed against unlawful acts by a public official as well as environmental damage while the Writ of Mandamus is directed against unlawful neglect of offices and authorities in connection with the enforcement or violation of environmental laws. Citing the petition filed by Bishop Carlito Cenzon of Baguio and Socrates Villegas of Pangasinan, the CA narrowed down to four the man-made activities that tended to degrade the forest reserve and its environment, namely the illegal tree-cutting and massive earth-moving caused by Aliping, deforestation due to expansion of vegetable gardens and residential areas and the unwarranted issuances of tax declarations, the establishment of communication and TV relay towers, and illegal small-scale mining activities. “In the light of ongoing environmental degradation, there is extreme necessity for all concerned executive departments and agencies to immediately act and to discharge their respective official duties,” the CA summed up. “The era of delays, procrastination and ad hoc measures is over.” Among other things, the CA urged government agencies to transcend their limitation, real or imaginary, and to buckle down to work before the problem becomes unmanageable. The local government of Tuba, particularly Mayor Florencio Bentrez, was ordered to instruct the municipal council to pass an ordinance outlawing the issuance of tax declarations and prohibit the alienation of portions of the reservation. The issuance of tax declarations led to construction of residential and business structures and expansion of commercial vegetable farms. “Mayor Bentrez is also ordered to cease and desist from issuing any and all kinds of permits to conduct activities within the Mount Sto. Tomas Forest Reserve, including but not limited to the operation of businesses therein and utilizing any area for filming movies and television shows, without clearance from the DENR, and to cancel the permits already issued,” the CA order reads. There was a marked increase in human and socio-economic activities at Mt. Sto. Tomas forest reserve since last year, which pose serious threat to the fragile nature of the reservation. “The growth of human population not only caused the reduction of the forest cover but also gave rise to garbage and sewerage disposal issues,” reads portion of the CA order. The decision specifically mandated Municipal Assessor Prudencio Pinkisan to permanently cease and desist from accepting applications for issuance of tax declarations over lands within the forest reserve. For their part, the DENR and its offices were ordered to establish the perimeter of the forest reserve, to deploy personnel to guard against cutting of trees, illegal excavation, illegal mining and expansion of vegetable farms. Tuba Police Chief William B. Willie has been ordered to enforce environmental laws to include the apprehension of violators of forest and mining laws. The local police station of Tuba was likewise directed to enforce environmental laws, which include the apprehension of the violators of forest laws, mining laws and other environmental laws. The 54-page decision was penned by Associate Justice Ramon A. Cruz and concurred in by associate justices Hakim S. Abdulwahid and Romeo F. Barza, all of the CA’s 5th division. The petition filed before the Supreme Court earlier noted the immediate issuance of a temporary environment protection order to protect Mt. Sto. Tomas from destructive activities. The SC, in 2014, granted the TEPO while it referred the petition to the CA to deliberate on the writs for continuing mandamus and kalikasan. Although this article seems to be a bad news on the part of business minded entities who wants to contribute to the commercialization of the place, tourists and vacationists can still enjoy La Presa sans the commercial establishments. Article courtesy of Baguio Midland Courier dated May 17, 2015-Jimmy K. Laking and Harley F. Palangchao Photo courtesy of www.dianereyes.net
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