The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is conducting consultations in several Negros Oriental towns regarding the proposed declaration of Mt. Talinis and Cuernos de Negros as a protected area.

Manric Barillo, provincial head of the Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD), said yesterday that several barangays in Valencia, Dauin, Zamboanguita, and Siaton have been identified as being inside the proposed zone.

“The barangay consultations are part of the Protected Area Suitability Assessment or PASA being undertaken by the DENR to determine whether the Mt. Talinis/Cuernos de Negros will be declared as either a natural park or a protected area,” Barillo said in an interview.

The consultations are part of the Protected Area Suitability Assessment (PASA) being undertaken by the DENR to determine whether the area will be classified as a natural park or a protected area.

Barillo noted that while a natural park is a specific category for areas with outstanding scenic values maintained for scientific and recreational use, the broader term “protected area” is used for any geographical space dedicated to long-term conservation.

The proposal covers 6,637 hectares of Mt. Talinis, excluding areas such as the geothermal reserve of the Energy Development Corporation.

The ENRD and the Philippine Biodiversity Conservation Foundation are assisting the DENR in the Negros Island Region and Region 7 in undertaking the PASA before securing a sponsor for its legal declaration.

Barillo said the declaration will safeguard the rich flora and fauna biodiversity in Mt. Talinis, the second-highest peak on Negros Island next to Mt. Kanlaon, and the tallest peak in the Cuernos de Negros mountain range. (PNA)