DENR supports move to transfer lot ownership in Zambo’s Sta. Cruz Isle

ZAMBOANGA CITY (ZNS) –The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) through the Protected Area Management Board (PAMB) is supporting the move to transfer, turnover or donate at least five lots on the Greater Sta. Cruz Island to the city government from the national government.

The support was made through a resolution the PAMB approved Friday in a meeting after Mayor Ma. Isabelle Climaco-Salazar requested the city government to own, manage, protect and preserve the lots instead of privatizing them.

The PAMB is the policy-making body of the Greater and Little Sta. Cruz Islands Protected Landscape and Seascape (GLSCIPLS).

City Assessor’s Office records showed the five parcels of land with an aggregate area 104,891 square meters located in the Great Sta. Cruz Island, facing the Island of Basilan, were titled in the names of the Republic of the Philippines.

The lots, being under the national government, were also managed by the Privatization and Management Office (PMO), Office of the President, whose representative came to this city last May 23 and conducted a site inspection of the lots with the assistance of the local government.

It is recalled, the Department of Tourism (DOT), the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA), the City of Zamboanga, the DENR and PAMB signed a memorandum of agreement in June 2011, transferring the development, management maintenance, operation, conservation and protection of Greater and Little Sta. Cruz Islands to this city.

Salazar deemed it proper and necessary for the city government to develop, manage, protect and conserve the entire island to include the subject lots thereon considering the entire Great Sta. Cruz Island is part of the protected landscape pursuant to Republic Act 7586 known as the National Integrated Protected Areas Systems (NIPAS) Act of 1992.

Meanwhile, the PAMB has also passed another resolution seeking to prohibit or regulate maritime navigation the Greater and Little Sta. Cruz Islands.

The second resolution was passed following observation that the sea between the two islands was used for dynamite and other illegal modes of fishing, thus destroying its maritime resources.

The PAMB also observed that a shoal would emerge between the islands during low tide, thus posing danger especially to wooden-hulled vessels.

However, it was agreed that the passage between the two islands may be limited to vessels used for scientific maritime research and tourism purposes, provided prior permission is given by the PAMB.(PNA) (091514)