Yap acts on Mt. Sto Tomas residents plea, urges DENR to ease restrictions

January 31, 2022 JUST IN

Benguet caretaker Eric Go Yap called out the Department of Environment and Natural Resources – Cordillera Administrative Region (DENR – CAR) to ease restriction in the area following a dialogue with residents of Mt. Santo Tomas in Tuba.
During a visit last week, Yap talked with residents in the area who raised some issues such as lack of economic activities, residents not allowed to repairs their houses even after experiencing typhoons and other natural disasters, including the absence of legitimate source of electricity among others.
“I had the privilege of visiting Mt. Santo Tomas located in Tuba and was able to hold an informal dialogue with some of the residents in the area. We’ve been consistently hearing their predicaments over the past few years brought about by the issuance of the Writ of Kalikasan in 2015 but it was not until yesterday when I witness firsthand how their lives were miserably affected by the Writ,” Yap said.
Yap then wrote to Engineer Ralph Pablo, regional director of the DENR – CAR to convey serious concern that needs immediate attention and action.
“Isa sa mga immediate needs sana nila is yung legitimate source ng kuryente. Imagine, walang kuryente yung mga bahay dun para sa mga essential needs nila at ng mga batang nag-aaral online. Hindi tama. Kaya tayo nakipag-coordinate sa DENR para mabigyan sila ng clearance na makapag-apply ng power source for households,” Yap said.
Yap, in his letter to Pablo said the rationale for the issuance of the order is to ensure environmental protection and it does not, in any way or form, remove the rights of the residents to decent living condition.
“I formally appeal to your office to immediately issue a clearance certificate that will allow for the installation of power supply in existing households for humanitarian reasons. There were efforts made by the residents in the past but it went to naught with the Department citing the Writ of Kalikasan issuance,” Yap added.
Yap further said numerous areas similar to the terrain of Mount Santo Tomas were allowed to be developed, hence, residents of Mount Santo Tomas should also be given consideration to have a chance of having a decent living condition.
“Maraming problema yung mga kababayan natin dun. Walang school para sa mga bata kasi bawal magpatayo, walang economic activities, walang kuryente, ang hirap ng access sa social services.
It will take a much bigger effort pero we will do our best to relax the implementation and enforcement sana to ensure yung rights to decent living conditions ng mga residents dun. Ilang dekada na sila nandun, tapos biglang tinanggalan sila ng karapatan. Maling mali,” the solon closed.