11 Marso, 2025 Martes
Success Month March in iskup
election campaign period, gun ban in effect
No to Divorce!!!
Get well soon Nanay Angelita Santiago-Lopez, Happy 91st birthday Nanay
No to SOGIE bill
Supports Fire Prevention Month March
congratulations Marked Men for Christ Philippines 565th batch Seminar, January 30,31,February 1,2025, Kabaleyan Cove, San Carlos City, Pangasinan ,looking forward to next batch July 16,2025, Baguio City
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DENR junked Masungi park developer contract
By J.Lo
“Department approved with finality cancellation of contract entered between Blue Star and DENR in connection with the land areas in Masungi in Tanay, Rizal,” Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Assistant Secretary for legal affairs Norlito Enaran said DENR has canceled its joint venture agreement with private contractor and developer of popular Masungi Georeserve for establishment of housing complex within protected forest area in Tanay, Rizal.
At press conference, Enaran announced cancellation of department’s contract with Blue Star Construction Development Corp. and ordered firm and family controlling it to vacate reservation area within 15 days.
Blue Star had been tapped to undertake construction of 5,000 housing units for government employees within 300-hectare forest area in Masungi.
In its decision, DENR cited Blue Star’s reported contract violations, including lack of required presidential proclamation allowing housing project, absence of document to prove that proposed construction went through regular procurement or bidding process, and failure to deliver agreed-upon 5,000-unit garden cottages housing project within five years from signing of contract on Nov. 15, 2002.
DENR informed Blue Star owner and Masungi Georeserve proponent Ben Dumaliang of reported contract breach in letter. DENR formed special committee in July 2019 to review 2002 contract.
He explained Blue Star initially signed joint venture agreement with DENR in 1997 for survey, design, construction, development and marketing of project called “garden cottages” on 130-hectare government property in Tanay, Rizal.
“Blue Star was still able to secure supplemental agreement in 2002 that even increased their project area to additional 300 hectares, despite no substantial housing units built on original 130 hectares awarded,” he added.
Intended beneficiaries of housing units were employees of various government agencies including DENR, Department of Education, Department of the Interior and Local Government, Department of National Defense, Department of Transportation, Office of the President and the Presidential Management Staff.
Enaran said additional government housing units covered by 2002 supplemental agreement were supposed to be located in Lot 10, where Dumaliang family had built structures and currently operates Masungi Georeserve, DENR official described as “resort that charges visitors for day treks to caves, stone formations, trails and rope bridges.”
“Garden cottages, covered by 1997 Joint Venture Agreement and originally intended as housing for government employees, are now venues for weddings and pre-nuptial shoots Dumaliangs also charge fee,” Enaran pointed out.
He said DENR is ready to manage Geopark even without Blue Star or Dumaliangs.
“General idea is for DENR to take control of this area as well as other government agencies who have rights in these areas…remember that this 300 hectares is now titled in favor of Department of Justice through Bureau of Corrections, 270 hectares are titled with Bureau of Corrections and 30 hectares are titled with DENR regional office in Calabarzon,” he added.
He stressed DENR is empowered to cancel contract and order eviction of Blue Star and enforce laws, rules and regulations.
“No one has monopoly when it comes to protection and conservation of environment…in fact, mandate of DENR is to protect environment, conserve, preserve natural resources of the country, nobody has monopoly…in fact, local government unit also has mandate to protect environment… no one is above the law…if you violate the law, government will act on it, that’s the message we want to convey,” he maintained.
He also revealed existence of 2008 Memorandum of Agreement with Blue Star allowing latter to build 145 housing units in 1.5-hectare Pueblocillo Village in Dasmariñas City, Cavite to compensate for its failure to deliver on its promise to build 5,000 housing units in Masungi and develop community center school site, as well as establish right of way for access roads and water mains, among other improvements.
ISKUP! 