Capitol gives Kawasan Falls tour operators 30 days to clear structures violating easement rule

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Tour operators in Kawasan Falls in Badian have 30 days to tear down their structures that encroach within the 20-meter easement zone.

The recent inspection conducted by the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (Penro) at the falls revealed that 32 concrete cottages, 16 comfort rooms with 18 septic tank chambers, four dressing rooms and 77 picnic sheds have violated the designated easement.

Governor Gwendolyn Garcia met with the tour operators on Wednesday evening, October 30, 2019, along with representatives from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in Central Visayas (DENR-7), Environmental Management Bureau in Central Visayas (EMB-7), and Badian town officials to discuss the violations.

While most of the tour operators have Environmental Compliance Certificates (ECC) issued by EMB-7, Garcia said some of the structures were built in violation of the ECC.

The comfort rooms also lack discharge permits from EMB while the concrete cottages did not have building permits from the office of the Building Official (OBO) of Badian.

“We gave them time nga ila ning mahimo. I am confident nga we will have everybody’s cooperation here aron atong mapreserve pod ang kagwapo sa Kawasan Falls,” Garcia said.

(We have given them time that they can work on this. I am confident that we will have everybody’s cooperation here so that we can preserve the beauty of the Kawasan Falls.)

Kawasan Falls is a 3-level waterfalls in Barangay Matutinao, Badian. It is one of the premiere tourist attractions in the southwestern section of the province.

Garcia said the tour operators did not object the directive to tear down the illegal structures during the meeting.

If the tour operators will fail to tear down the structures by November 30, Garcia said he will ask the police to facilitate the demolition if the structures. /bmjo