DENR serves 32 establishments in El Nido with notice to vacate

March 14, 2018

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) served notices Wednesday to vacate 32 establishments in El Nido, Palawan as part of "nationwide crackdown" on erring establishments in tourist destinations.

The following were given notices to self-demolish portions of their businesses encroaching on the three-meter easement zones : Amigo’s Inn, Angel Nido, Angel Wish, Caalan Beach Resort, Cadlao Resort, Cadlao Resort Extension, Café Athena, Chislyk, El Nido Beach Resort, El Nido Boutique Art and Café, El Nido Garden, El Nido Reef Strand Resort, Golden Monkey, Hidden Beach Resort, Hadefe Beach Resort, Isla Expeditions, Jarace Grill, Kalinga Beach Resort, La Salanganne, Lally and Abet Extension, Linda Leona Store, Mezzanine El Nido, Nido Bay Inn, Organic Spa, Palawan Pawnshop, Prince’s, Relucio Inn, Rosanna’s Pension, Shorepass Lodge, Sonny Sails, The Nest, and TTD Store.

DENR Mimaropa regional legal head Gandhi Flores said in a statement:  “This is just the first wave of notices we will serve. In the coming days, we shall serve similar notices to establishments and households illegally built on timberland.”

The notice to vacate cites the owners for violating the three-meter easement zone in urban areas provided in the Water Code of the Philippines and National Integrated Protected Areas System Act of 1992 and Proclamation No. 32, series of 1998, both of which prohibit the occupation, utilization, and construction of any structure in a protected area like El Nido.

“We understand this is a difficult process, but you made it easier because of your cooperation,” DENR Mimaropa regional director Natividad Bernardino said in an interview. DMS