Nature's treasures: DENR features 22 protected areas in Cebu, Bohol

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Twenty-two protected areas across Cebu and Bohol take center stage in a biodiversity exhibit launched by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) on Thursday, June 18, to raise public awareness on environmental conservation.

Dubbed “Bahandi sa Kinaiyahan: Kinabuhi, Kabilin ug Kalikupan,” the exhibit is open to the public at SM City Cebu until June 21 and highlights some of the region’s most important protected landscapes, seascapes, wildlife habitats, and natural monuments.

The exhibit forms part of DENR’s information campaign aimed at strengthening public understanding of biodiversity protection and the importance of protected areas in Central Visayas.

READ: Palompon watershed: Expert supports plan to declare it a protected area

Protected Areas

DENR-7 Conservation and Development Division Chief Reginaldo Bueno said the agency organized the exhibit to address the lack of public awareness about protected areas.

“Kulang sa pagkakaalam ang publiko sa kahalagahan ng ating mga protected areas (The public lacks awareness of the importance of our protected areas),” Bueno said.

“Sa exhibit nakalagay ano ang protected area, bakit siya naging protected area (The exhibit explains what a protected area is and why it was designated as one). With that awareness, they can help us disseminate the relevance and importance of these protected areas.”

Officials said the exhibit provides visitors with information on the ecological value, history, and conservation status of protected areas across Cebu and Bohol.

DENR-7 Executive Director Laudemir Salac said the display also helps explain the strict regulations governing protected areas under DENR management.

READ: Cebu City planners call for stricter building rules in protected areas

According to Salac, activities and developments within protected areas are generally limited to designated Multiple-Use Zones and must comply with approved environmental management policies.

“This is actually a measure wherein we are very strict in terms of development in these areas,” Salac said.

A protected area is a legally designated land or water area recognized for its unique ecological, biological, and physical significance.

These areas are managed by the DENR to conserve biodiversity and protect natural resources from destructive or unsustainable human activities.

Cebu and Bohol

Cebu has six protected areas under the national protected area system.

These are the Central Cebu Protected Landscape, Tañon Strait Protected Seascape, Olango Island Wildlife Sanctuary, Bantayan Island Wilderness Area, Camotes Island Mangrove Swamp Forest Reserve, and Guadalupe Mainit Mabugnao Hot Springs National Park.

Bohol, meanwhile, has 16 protected areas, including the Chocolate Hills Natural Monument and the Philippine Tarsier Sanctuary, both among the province’s most visited ecotourism destinations.

READ: Drones to monitor wildlife in protected areas, says DENR-7

Permitting on Wheels

Alongside the exhibit, the agency launched the “DENR Express: Permitting on Wheels,” a mobile service that brings permit processing and environmental compliance services directly to the public.

The caravan can receive and process inquiries and applications for services from the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office–Cebu City, Environmental Management Bureau, Mines and Geosciences Bureau, and protected area management teams.

DENR Express will run until June 19 and is open daily from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at SM City Cebu, alongside the biodiversity exhibit.

READ: DENR shuts Quezon resort for encroaching into protected land

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