World · Philippines Bureau
Mindoro residents push Puerto Galera to restore environment fee exemptions
Community groups across Mindoro have called on Puerto Galera's municipal government to reconsider a revised environmental fee ordinance that removed exemptions for local residents. The position paper, filed this week, argues that the fee changes place an unfair financial burden on bonafide residents of Oriental and Occidental Mindoro.
LSN Philippines ·
CALAPAN CITY — Residents from across Mindoro have formally urged the Sangguniang Bayan of Puerto Galera to revisit the municipality's revised Environmental User's Fee ordinance, citing concerns about the removal of exemptions for local inhabitants. The position paper, submitted Thursday, represents growing opposition to fee structures that community groups say disproportionately affect the province's residents while benefiting external stakeholders. Puerto Galera, a popular tourist destination on Mindoro's northern coast, implemented the fee revision in recent months, restructuring how environmental costs are distributed among users of the municipality's resources and facilities. The revised ordinance eliminated previous exemptions that allowed bonafide residents of Oriental and Occidental Mindoro to access certain areas or services without paying the environmental user's fee. Local advocates contend the policy change fails to distinguish between residents and visitors, placing financial pressures on community members who depend on local resources for livelihood and daily needs. The position paper calls for the municipal government to restore resident exemptions as part of a broader reconsideration of the fee structure's fairness and implementation.