Question & AnswerQ&A (DENR ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 2009-09)
The legal basis includes Section 10 (1) and (m) of Republic Act No. 7586 (NIPAS Act of 1992), its Implementing Rules and Regulations, and Executive Order No. 111 "Establishing the Guidelines for Ecotourism Development in the Philippines."
The objectives are to establish uniform signs for protected areas, provide design and specifications for infrastructure within protected areas, set standards for ecotourism facility planning within buffer and multiple use zones, and enhance visitor management for conservation and ecotourism.
It applies to all signs, buildings, facilities, and infrastructure installed or constructed within the multiple-use zone and buffer zone of protected areas and other ecotourism areas.
The allowed signs include administrative signs (information boards, boundary markers), directional signs, interpretive signs (depicting species or features), and restrictive signs (limits on visitor activities).
An administrative sign is defined as a sign inscribed with information about the protected area, its boundaries, and facilities within it.
The board should be rectangular (1.20 m x 2.40 m max), painted green with a 12.50 cm yellow band at the top, names printed in Arial font in specific colors, and situated with a minimum vertical clearance of 1.80 m if suspended.
Boundary markers must be concrete monuments (minimum 15 cm x 15 cm x 60 cm), reinforced with steel bar, engraved with letters 'PA' or 'BZ', and installed vertically with specific buried and exposed lengths.
No structure can exceed 10 meters in height from natural ground line to the rooftop, structures must blend with natural landscape, and excavation depths are limited to 3 meters below natural ground line.
Infrastructure should comply with P.D. 1096 (National Building Code), P.D. 1586 (Environmental Impact Statement System), B.P. 344 (Accessibility Law), R.A. 7277 (Magna Carta for Disabled Persons), R.A. 386 (New Civil Code), and related ordinances.
Non-compliance shall be penalized in accordance with existing laws, rules, and regulations applicable to protected areas and environmental protection.
Signs must follow design, construction, and maintenance standards for safety and visibility, maintain aesthetic harmony, and limit information to ten items for administrative, directional, and restrictive signs.
A restrictive sign limits visitor activities or access, using symbols and text, and should be placed in areas requiring high protection and conservation, especially in strict protection zones.
Trails should be safe, convenient, environmentally considerate, direct foot traffic to avoid sensitive areas, be up to 1.50 meters wide, and incorporate erosion and flood control measures.
A boardwalk is an elevated pedestrian path to minimize environmental impact, usually constructed in wetlands or ecologically sensitive areas, above highest water levels with consideration of wave action and storm surges.
Landscaping should improve appearance and reduce visual impact, use native perennial species, provide nurseries for planting materials, and recycle wastewater for plant watering.
Toilets should have good water supply, ventilation, and illumination, comply with accessibility standards, provide separate facilities for men and women, and have appropriate septic systems depending on location.