The Department of Environment and Natural Resources has beefed up its inventory team in Salvador Benedicto town, Negros Occidental, and is set to issue more cease-and-desist orders against persons who have built vacation houses and other structures within the Northern Negros Forest Reserve.

This was disclosed yesterday by Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer Andres Untal, who said 10 more operatives have been added to their five-man inventory team in Salvador Benedicto.

He expects their list of 40 persons found to be occupying the NNNP without permits to increase, Untal said.

Negros Occidental Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr. had earlier said that while he supports the allocation of 200 hectares for the Salvador Benedicto townsite, he will oppose further encroachment into the NNPP.

The governor said his stand is that no one should be allowed to build within the NNNP, and those who have done so, should remove their structures and leave. There will be no sacred cows, he stressed.

“If we allow people to occupy the NNNP, encroachment into the rest of the forest will eventually take place,” he said.*CPG

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