The Environmental Legal Assistance Center (ELAC) has sounded the alarm over the continued destruction of Palawan’s forests and critical habitats despite existing laws meant to protect them, urging government agencies to enforce environmental regulations “while there is still time.”
ELAC warned in a statement posted on November 12 that Palawan’s status as the country’s “Last Frontier” is at risk as mining operations, illegal logging, and weak law enforcement continue to endanger protected landscapes, including Mount Mantalingahan, the Victoria-Anepahan Mountain Range, and Mount Bulanjao.
“Habang pinapahintulutan ng mga permit at proyekto ang pagsira sa kagubatan, unti-unting nawawala ang tunay na diwa ng ‘proteksyon’ sa mga Protektadong Lugar ng Palawan,” ELAC said.
The Mount Mantalingahan Protected Landscape (MMPL), covering more than 120,000 hectares across five southern Palawan municipalities, is officially protected under the Expanded National Integrated Protected Areas System (ENIPAS) Act.
Despite its legal status, ELAC said mining and plantation interests continue to penetrate its buffer zones.
The group also raised concerns over the Victoria-Anepahan Mountain Range (VAMR), which remains without formal protection status despite being a vital watershed for several towns.
ELAC said illegal logging, road construction, and land conversion persist in the area, worsening flooding and landslides that have affected Brooke’s Point, Narra, Aborlan, and Puerto Princesa in recent years.
In Bataraza, ELAC cited Mount Bulanjao as a case study in weak environmental governance.
The area, identified as a High Conservation Value Area by the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development (PCSD) and conservation groups, remains open to mining despite being within a restricted-use zone under Palawan’s Strategic Environmental Plan (SEP) Law.
ELAC called on the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), PCSD, and local governments to strictly implement ECAN zoning and the provisions of the SEP and ENIPAS laws.
The organization also urged authorities to reject all mining and quarrying applications within natural forests, protected areas, and watersheds, and to enforce the 50-year mining moratorium in Palawan.
“Hindi pwedeng ipagmalaki ng Palawan ang titulong Last Frontier habang unti-unting nauubos ang mismong kagubatan at watershed na nagbibigay-buhay dito,” the group said.
The ENIPAS Act and the Mining Act of 1995 both prohibit extractive operations within old-growth forests, watershed reserves, and national parks. However, ELAC said gaps in policy enforcement have allowed destructive activities to continue under the guise of development, putting communities and ecosystems at greater risk of disasters.
ELAC, established in 1990, continues to provide legal aid and advocacy for environmental protection in Palawan, supporting community wardens and paralegals in defending forests, coasts, and ancestral domains across the province.
