The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) MIMAROPA has intensified its crackdown on illegal developments in El Nido, filing formal complaints against eight more establishments for violating environmental laws.
This brings to 12 the total number of businesses now facing charges for operating in protected areas without proper authorization, in breach of Republic Act No. 11038.
Authorities said the establishments constructed and operated facilities within the El Nido Managed Resource Protected Area without securing clearance from the Protected Area Management Board (PAMB), the body tasked with regulating activities and safeguarding protected sites.
The latest complaints form part of a broader enforcement campaign targeting unregulated developments blamed for environmental degradation, sanitation problems, and potential public health risks in the турист hotspot.
DENR stressed that due process was observed, including the issuance of violation notices and opportunities for the firms to comply before legal action was pursued.
Officials underscored the urgency of stricter enforcement, warning that unchecked activities threaten El Nido’s fragile ecosystems, tourism-driven economy, and the welfare of communities dependent on its natural resources.
The agency said monitoring and enforcement operations will continue across protected areas in the region.
