PAKIL, Laguna — As institutional friction intensifies over infrastructure development inside historical conservation zones, municipal leaders are highlighting the boundaries of local administrative power. The local chief executive of Pakil, Laguna, clarified that the local government unit (LGU) lacks the explicit legal authority to enforce a cease-and-desist or suspension mandate issued by national cultural agencies against a massive, multi-billion-peso energy project.
The statement addresses a direct order issued by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) aiming to halt development on the controversial Ahunan Pumped-Storage Hydroelectric Power Project.
The local administration explained that while it respects the heritage concerns raised by cultural groups, municipal offices cannot arbitrarily step in to police projects regulated by national entities.
[ JURISDICTIONAL LIMITATIONS OF THE LGU ]
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[ LIMIT OF LOCAL ENFORCEMENT ] [ EXCLUSIVE STATE MANDATES ]
• **No Independent Police Power:** The municipal office clarified that • **National Oversight Priority:** Because the renewable energy
it lacks the statutory authority to independently serve or execute • infrastructure operates under national utility frameworks,
injunctions generated by the NHCP. • enforcement falls on central executive branches.
• **Awaiting Central Orders:** Local building and planning offices • **The Legal Prerogative:** The LGU maintains that it cannot
cannot cancel permits without a direct order from the Department • legally interfere until regulatory agencies like the DOE or
of Energy (DOE) or the DENR. • DENR formally revoke the project's clearances.
The 1,400-megawatt facility—a $1.1-billion joint venture between billionaire Enrique Razon Jr.’s Prime Infrastructure network and JBD Water Power Inc.—covers nearly 300 hectares across Mount Ping-as in the Sierra Madre mountain range.
The site has triggered massive local opposition due to intersecting environmental, cultural, and safety risks:
[ THE AHUNAN HYDROPOWER CONFLICT MATRIX ] │ ▼[ 1. Cultural Devotion ] ──► Mount Ping-as is considered sacred ground, serving as the historical site for the annual \"Ahunan\" pilgrimage dedicated to the **Nuestra Señora de Turumba**. │ ▼[ 2. Natural Defenses ] ──► Environmental coalitions note that extensive forest clearing and deep drilling threaten the natural springs supplying the municipality’s clean water and irrigation. │ ▼[ 3. Geological Risks ] ──► Community groups like *Mamamayang Nagmamahal sa Pakil* (MaNaPak) warn that cutting trees on high slopes increases the risk of landslides and flooding.
The controversy reached a tipping point following recent incidents where environmental advocates and religious devotees documented the cutting of century-old trees to clear paths for drilling equipment. The destruction prompted the NHCP to issue its protective suspension order, citing potential irreversible damage to the town’s natural and cultural landscape.
While the municipal council previously flipped its stance by revoking its initial “Certificate of No Objection” due to a lack of genuine community consultation, construction activities have faced ongoing scrutiny. With the local executive office explicitly deferring enforcement responsibility back to national regulators, environmental defenders and church groups are taking their fight directly to the capital, urging the national government to permanently cancel the project before irreversible damage is done to the Sierra Madre.