Ann and Billie Dumaliang have stated they are “done with being friendly” with Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga. In an exclusive interview with TIME, the sisters accused the Philippine Environment Secretary of “malicious” actions, being “allergic to criticism,” and attempting to “strong arm” them into “abandoning” the Masungi Georeserve, the renowned ecotourism site they manage just outside of Manila.
Their anger is rooted in shock. The Dumaliangs were taken by surprise when they learned through the news that the Department of Environment and Natural Resources was evicting them from a section of the Masungi Georeserve—a decision that could jeopardize their overall efforts to safeguard the 6,600-acre conservation area.
On March 7, the department announced in a press conference that it was canceling a 2002 agreement with Blue Star Construction Development Corporation, the Masungi Georeserve Foundation Inc.’s affiliate company owned by Ben Dumaliang, the sisters’ father. The cancellation was based on alleged failure to complete a contracted government housing project, as well as other alleged violations. The canceled agreement encompasses about 740 acres, including the georeserve’s . The department has instructed Blue Star to vacate the 740-acre area within a two-week period.
“Everyone was quite caught off guard,” Ann Dumaliang told TIME. “Not only because we weren’t involved at all, but also because this is the first time that they’ve brought up these issues in the 20-plus years that we’ve been protecting this place.”
Masungi Georeserve is a well-known eco-tourism location, famous for its rainforest and striking limestone formations. The site, its staff, and its rangers have received global recognition for and efforts—particularly notable in a country considered the .
The Discovery Trail enables visitors to hike through the conservation area for a fee of at least 1,500 Philippine pesos ($26) to observe karst limestones and various flora and fauna. Billie Dumaliang explained that the funds raised contribute to the reforestation of over 5,900 acres surrounding the trail—an area that is also at risk if a separate 2017 joint contract is terminated—and help cover the salaries of the approximately 100 rangers who protect the reserve.
During a press briefing on Friday, an environment department official stated that “everyone, including those involved in conservation and [environment] protection, will face government action if they violate the law.”
However, the Dumaliang sisters, who serve as trustees of the foundation, deny any accusations of legal violations and express their discontent with what they perceive as unfair treatment. “Other alleged violators get, like, one to four show-cause orders?” Ann questioned. “We get an immediate cancellation. It’s terrible.” Billie added that the department’s action “starkly contrasts with all the environmentally destructive projects that have been allowed to continue for years, despite strong opposition.” Yulo-Loyzaga has previously been for failing to surrounding the country’s environmental landmarks.
The sisters also challenged the claim that Blue Star failed to meet its contractual obligations, arguing that it was the department that failed to uphold its end of the agreement and did not communicate with Masungi Georeserve’s representatives. Billie Dumaliang stated that she believes Environment Secretary Yulo-Loyzaga has been particularly “vindictive” after . “We’re very vocal about this, we’ve exposed illegal activities, we make her look bad, but these are very petty reasons for taking a course of action that is not in line with the mandate of the department,” Billie said.
Billie further asserted that Yulo-Loyzaga’s decision regarding Masungi “calls into question the current administration’s commitment to its international pledges on climate change, human rights, biodiversity, land degradation, and peace.” The Philippines has committed to rehabilitating .
Some Philippine lawmakers have also behind the cancellation of the Blue Star contract. Senator Nancy Binay, in social media statements, the hasty decision and inquired about the department’s plan and vision for the Georeserve after the cancellation. Representative Raoul Manuel the department for not engaging in dialogue with the Masungi Georeserve Foundation before the cancellation and for portraying the organization as an “enemy.”
The Philippine environment department and secretary did not immediately address specific questions from TIME, instead referring to a made by the department that details the history of the Blue Star contract and Blue Star’s alleged violations, including: charging fees and building facilities on the site without local permits, fencing off a section of government property, and not completing the agreed-upon housing units in the area.
Currently, the Dumaliangs are planning to pursue all available legal options, even as the department considers involving the police to enforce the eviction. They are aware of the security risks—those with vested interests in the land, such as resort owners, have been on the site’s rangers and staff patrolling and protecting the site, and the georeserve has been the subject of . They are concerned that the order has “emboldened” Masungi’s detractors to persist with harassment and potentially escalate violence, creating a “chilling effect” on all environmental defenders.
However, they intend to fight the order. “We will invoke our right, of course, to continue our work,” Billie stated. “If we need to use our bodies to shield, then we will.”
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