Tug-of-war looms for Arayat Nat’l Park mgmt

BY: Joel P. Mapiles

ARAYAT, Pamp. -- Apparently, a tug-of-war between the provincial and the municipal government here looms, both expressing separate intents to supervise, manage and control the Arayat National Park.

The national park has become a virtual ghost town after it was neglected by the Department of Natural Resources (DENR) due to lack of resources and personnel.

Vice Gov. Joseller Yeng Guiao announced to members of the Pampanga Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PamCham) that the provincial board will approve a resolution requesting the DENR to get the management of the once-flourishing Arayat National Park.

“The park is not properly managed. This is a tourist attraction with a lot of potentials. Why not acquire management and develop it into a tourist attraction here in Pampanga? Again that will be good not just for all of us, but for the whole of Central Luzon including Metro Manila,” Guiao said.

As this developed, Municipal Councilor Ramon Changcoco told this reporter that Mayor Luis “Chito” Espino is already negotiating with DENR Regional executive director Ricardo Calderon for the execution of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) transferring the supervision and management of the Arayat National Park to the local government of Arayat.

Changcoco claimed that the MOA to be entered into between the DENR and the municipal government is now “approved in principle.”

Upon learning the development, Guiao said the provincial government will immediately coordinate with the DENR and to the municipal government of Arayat on how they could intervene.

Guiao said it’s good that they have talked about the management of the park as it is in bad taste and totally neglected.

Guiao claimed that the provincial government is more capable in terms of funds and resources for the operation and management of the park. However, he is optimistic that they could come up with a win-win solution.

In the past, Guiao said the park has been a place of leisure and relaxation among Kapampangans.

“Years ago, the National Park at the foot of Mount Arayat is a summer destination among hundreds of thousands of locals in Central Luzon including those in Metro Manila,” Guiao added.

However, the national park is totally neglected by the concerned agencies of the government as looting activity is evidently happening without let-up.



Earlier, Calderon said they are very much willing and open to the idea of co-managing the park with the local government unit, saying that DENR has limitations with regard to the management of the park.