DENR cancels Masungi Georeserve agreement, eviction deadline passes with protest

The Masungi Georeserve in Rizal province is facing eviction after the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) unilaterally canceled its Supplemental Joint Venture Agreement.

Over a hundred volunteers and environmental advocates, including members of the Dumagat tribe who have lived in the area since the 1980s, protested against the decision on the day the DENR's 15-day eviction order reached its deadline.

The Dumagat community stressed that losing Masungi would not only displace their community but also accelerate environmental destruction, worsening issues like climate change and natural disasters.

Advocates continue to call for the preservation of the conservation site, urging the government to recognize its ecological importance and the communities that depend on it.