“A RESOLUTION DECLARING OLANGOAN WATERFALLS AS PROTECTED AREA UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENTAL PLAN (SEP) UNDER REPUBLIC ACT NO.7611 AND THE NATIONAL INTEGRATED PROTECTED AREA SYSTEM (NIPAS) UNDER REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7586 “

WHEREAS, R.A. 7611, otherwise known as the Strategic Environmental Plan (SEP) for Palawan Act, took effect on 19 June 1992 section 6 of which provides that the SEP shall serve as the framework to guide the government agencies concerned in the formulation of plans, programs and projects affecting the environment and natural resources of Palawan;

WHEREAS, Section 16 of the same law provides that the governance, implementation and policy direction of the SEP shall be exercised by the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development (PCSD), under the Office of the President;

WHEREAS, Sections 7 to 11 of said Act provides for the establishment of an Environmentally Critical Areas Network (ECAN), the main strategy of SEP, which is a graded system of protection and development control over the whole of Palawan, including its tribal lands, forests, mines, agricultural areas, settlement areas, small islands, mangroves, coral reefs, seagrass beds and the surrounding sea;

WHEREAS, the Department of Justice (DOJ) through its Opinion No. 90 issued on 20 June 1994 states that for Palawan, it is the Council (PCSD) which shall administer and manage protected areas in accordance with, among others, the applicable provisions oftheNIPAS law;

WHEREAS, on December 29, 1994, Memorandum of Agreement was signed between the DENR and the PCSD stating therein that all policies, plans, programs, and projects affecting the sustainable development of Palawan shall be approved by the PCSD and if required shall be implemented by DENR;

WHEREAS, the PCSD, through Resolution No. 95-75, recognized the need to identify the protected areas within Palawan and further directed the PCSD Staff, in coordination with the concerned agencies, to review other previously proclaimed protected areas and identify additional areas that require protection;

WHEREAS, Olangoan Waterfalls, with a total land area of 1,875 hectares (of which portion of its total land area, approximately 1,250 hectares is categorized as watershed), is one of the emerging tourist destinations in the City of Puerto Princesa;

WHEREAS, due to its distinct features and natural beauty, the Barangay Councils of Binduyan and Conception, through Barangay Resolution Nos. 02-1999 and No. 23-2001, respectively, endorsed the declaration of Olangoan Waterfalls Protected Area;

WHEREAS, the City Council of Puerto Princesa, through Resolution No. 632-2007 dated March 23, 2007, strongly recommended to the Office of the DENR Secretary the declaration of Olangoan Waterfalls as a Nature Park;

WHEREAS, Usee. Manuel D. Gerochi, Undersecretary for Staff Bureaus of the DENR, recommended that concurrence from the PCSD be sought as a pre-requisite to the proclamation;

WHEREAS, when presented, the PCSD recognized the need to conserve the “distinct features and natural beauty” of Olangoan Waterfalls and to further its “socio­economic benefits’ to the local communities;

WHEREFORE, upon motion duly seconded, the Council Resolves, as it is hereby Resolved, to declare, as hereby it is declared, Olangoan Waterfalls in Bgy. Binduyan and Bgy. Concepcion, Puerto Princesa City a Protected Area under the applicable provisions of SEP Law, NIP AS Law and other related laws, rules and regulations;

RESOLVED FINALLY, that copies of this Resolution be sent to the City Government of Puerto Princesa, Barangay Councils of Bgy. Binduyan and Bgy. Concepcion and other concerned agencies for their information and guidance.

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I hereby certify that the above-quoted Resolution has been duly approved and adopted by the PCSD on the 25th day of August 2008 at Coron,Palawan.

ROMEO B. DORADO Secretary

APPROVED : HON. MARIO JOEL T. REYES Chairman