MANILA – The DENR has temporarily halted development of a motocross race track in Barangay Villa Libertad, El Nido, Palawan, after finding that the project was moving forward without the mandatory Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC).
The department issued a Notice of Violation (NOV) to the race track proponent for violating Section 4 of Presidential Decree 1586, part of the Philippine Environmental Impact Statement System.
“Projects cannot proceed without strict adherence to environmental regulations. All subsequent measures will follow verified evidence and established legal processes,” the DENR said in a statement on Tuesday.
An inspection by the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) 4-B (Mimaropa) on February 23 determined that the project occupies about 1.45 hectares—well above the 0.1-hectare minimum for tourism and leisure developments that require an ECC under EMB Memorandum Circular 2022‑06.
The NOV orders an immediate stop to all site operations and requires the submission of a notarized position paper within 15 days. A technical conference will also be held to review regulatory compliance.
The motocross facility is within the El Nido-Taytay Managed Resource Protected Area (ENTMRPA), established in 1998 to protect one of the Philippines’ most important biodiversity sites. The protected zone encompasses extensive forests, coral reefs, mangroves, and endangered wildlife, including marine turtles, hornbills, and the Palawan peacock pheasant.
The DENR emphasized its ongoing dedication to preserving Palawan’s protected areas and ensuring all projects follow environmental laws.
elamigo/xf
