ARAYAT - The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) okayed the request of the officials of the municipality of Arayat involving the proposed co-management of Mt. Arayat National Park.
Maximo Dichoso, executive director of DENR regional office said that they are currently finalizing the co-management agreement Mayor Emmanuel Alejandrino that will allow the local government to take over the development and rehabilitation of the park’s resort area.
The Protected Area Management Board (PAMB) chaired by the DENR unanimously approved a resolution that will allow the local government of Arayat to formally takeover the operations of the San Juan Bano resort.
It will undergo a long-term development, taking into consideration the biophysical and ecological requirements of the park, beginning with a reforestation program.
Proposed major tourism facilities to rise in the park would include a world-class hotel, lodges, spa, swimming pools, sports facilities, and restaurants.
The rehabilitation will be carried out under public-private sector partnership scheme as envisioned by Alejandrino.
“Developing Mt. Arayat into a major ecotourism area will not only provide additional livelihood to the host communities but will also help advocate the need for greater public participation in the protection and conservation of Mt. Arayat as Central Luzon’s natural legacy and important landmark,” Dichoso explained.
It can be recalled that DENR and the local government of Arayat agreed in December 2000 to turn over the operations of the San Juan Baño recreational area to the Department of Tourism -Philippine Tourism Authority (DOT-PTA) to boost the tourism potential of the park pursuant to the provisions of R.A 7690 declaring the Arayat National Park as a tourist spot.
The Mt. Arayat National Park was declared a protected area under Proclamation No. 203 with a total area of 3,715 hectares, 10 hectares of which had been set aside for development as a recreational facility where the San Juan Bano resort now sits.
DENR studies showed that the Mt. Arayat is home to 49 species of trees and plants; 86 species of wild birds; 14 species of mammals; and 11 species of reptiles.
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