BANTAYAN ISLAND, Cebu - The Region 7 office of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is now finalizing - per court order - completion of the General Management Plan (GMP) for the Bantayan Island Wilderness Area (BIWA).
DENR7 Regional Executive Director Maximo O. Dichoso bared that by August this year, the GMP of the BIWA will be completed to comply the requirements of the court order issued by regional trial court Judge Marilyn Lagura Yap.
Dichoso said that the GMP of BIWA is required by the Court Order which Yap issued last August 2009 for the lifting of the suspension of the issuance of Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC).
It can be recalled that last August 25, 2009, Yap also issued an order for the demolition and removal of illegal struc-tures found in six beach resorts here within the 20-meter easement zone.
''The delineation and assessment of structures within the 20-meter easement zone within the island is almost complete,'' he said.
Meanwhile, Bantayan Mayor Ian Chris Escario inquired if the issuance of business permits by local government units is also suspended in line with the court order, but Dichoso replied that such issuance was not mentioned in the Court Order.
''The management plan of BIWA must be consistent and complement or harmonize the Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP) of the three municipalities as it outlines man¬agement principles for the area and specify management zones for the pro¬tection, conservation and preservation of the protected area,'' he stressed.
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