KUBLING PARAISO, the RedeveLOPmeNt Of

Minalungao National Park

LOCATION: Sitio Minalungao, Baranggay Pias, General Tinio, Nueva Ecija

SARAH JANE M. PAJARILLAGA

AR 5A
 CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

A. Background of the Study

When asked what can be seen in Nueva Ecija or where the

province is known for? It always takes seconds to answer and
end-up saying Its the Rice Granary of the Philippines but
other than what else do Nueva Ecija is known for? That is one of
the reasons why Nueva Ecija is not on the vacation spots of the
tourists. Because they do not know what and where they should go
in Nueva Ecija and they do not know what thing or place that
makes the province unique. What else remains to be seen in Nueva
Ecija?

Unknown to many, including Nueva-Ecijanos themselves, the

province has other interesting natural attractions to offer. One
of which is the Minalunago National Park. The Minalungao
National Park, being one of the General Tinios tourist
attractions, is a well-kept secret nature that was hidden from
the inquisitive eyes of city folks that was indeed a good place
for soul searching and communing to nature.

The Minalungao National Park is located at Sitio

Minalungao, Brgy. Pias, General Tinio, Nueva Ecija. It is one of
the few remaining natural environments in Central Luzon. Its
name was derived from the term Mina at Lungao which means mine
of gold in caves. It was established as a National Park on June
17, 1967 by virtue of the Republic Act No. 5100 and is one of
the protected areas in the Philippines. It has a total land area
of two thousand eighteen (2,018) hectares and is open for Build,
Operate and Transfer scheme with the collaboration of the
Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

Minalungao has a great potential for ecotourism and

development that can help for the progress of the Municipality
of General Tinio. It is one of the most visited places in Nueva
Ecija, although it is not that famous yet, since it was open as
National Park to the public. The park offers facilities for
picnic, swimming, fishing, raft riding, trecking and cliff
diving. It also offers solace and refuge to weary souls longing
for tranquility.

As of now, the parks present facilities cannot handle the

increasing volume of the tourists who came to visit. It lacks
facilities for security and maintenance that is why some of the
tourist and local guides take advantage which results to
expensive fare for cottages, garbage are present in some parts
of the park, and graffiti and/or vandalism written on the rock
formation walls. There are also demands for accommodation for
the visitors who wanted to stay at the park for days or
vacation.

Aside from those problems, the Minalungao National Park has

threats because of some illegal activities occurring outside and
even inside the park main proper. The Sumacbao River that is
being used as portal channel of illegal logging activities,
Kaingin and charcoal making are the illegal activities which
destroys the natural aesthetic scenery of the Protected Area.

KUBLING PARAISO, the Redevelopment of Minalungao National

Park a project proposed to General Tinio for the development of
the Minalungao National Park that will be finance by a private
sector with the supervision of the local government and DENR
under the Memorandum of Agreement that was signed on January 16,
2004. The projects main goal is to provide facilities that will
in-house some officials that will administer the park for it to
be properly secure and maintain, and to provide accommodations
for the tourists.
B. Statement of the Problem

A national park is a park, in use for conservation that is

often reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a
sovereign state declares or owns. It is also consider as a
Protected Area.

The Minalungao National Park is one of the Protected Areas

in the Philippines but, though the laws protect it, it still
close to threats of illegal activities, which causes destruction
to the natural aesthetic of the park, aside from that, is the
increasing volume of tourists who are coming to visit the park
and are demanding for accommodation. Due to all the problems
stated above, provision of security and maintenance is highly
needed.

The KUBLING PARAISO, the Redevelopment of Minalungao

National Park aims to answer the following problems that will
help to develop the park:

What are the solutions that can be provided that will

answer the needs of the Park?
What are the facilities that can be use/provided to
improve the park?
What architectural design will fit to the project that
will make it sustainable and less harmful to the
environment?
What are the benefits that the local government, local
citizens, tourists, etc and the park itself in the
redevelopment of Minalungao?
What can it contribute for the tourism of Nueva Ecija?
C. Scope and Delimitation

SCOPE

The research focus on the architectural aspects of the

facilities such as hotel and its other amenities for recreation
that will be provided in the project, to the laws that will be
considered on the designing process and the benefits that it can
give to the local government of General Tinio as well as to the
province of Nueva Ecija.

The research will also discuss the design concept and its
sub-concept that will fit to the project, which are Organic and
Sustainable Architecture. The research will also discuss some of
the technologies that will be applied to the building/structure
such as the grey water system, solar panels, etc which will not
only help the hotel but as well as the environment.

DELIMITATION

The research will limit its study to the architectural

aspects of the building which includes the design that will fit
to it, laws and ordinances that will be considered and as well
as the other considerations that are needed for the improvement
of the park such as sanitation, orientation, maintenance,
security, etc.

The research delimits the study about the structural,

electrical, plumbing and electrical processes that will be
included in the building; it will be discussed but will not have
an elaborate and detailed explanation as well as the
technologies that will be used for the improvement of the park
and the illegal activities occurring inside/outside the parks
territory. The research also delimits the record for the volume
of tourists who are coming to visit the park due to lack of
data.
D. Significance of the Study

The Kubling Paraiso, the Redevelopment of Minalungao

National Park is a proposed project of General Tinio that will
help for the development of the parks present condition that
will make it more competent for ecotourism and will benefit the
following target:

Local people or citizen, the project will have facilities that

will provide job opportunities and added to the local citizens
of General Tinio that may help to contribute for the tourism of
the Municipality and, as well as, the whole province.

Tourists or guests, this project will bring new knowledge to

guest about the locality and the province. The satisfied guest
who visited the park will tend them to recommend the park to
their other friend to experience the same thing.

The Municipality of General Tinio as well as the Province of

Nueva Ecija, this project will contribute to the income and
tourism of the municipality as well as the province that may
help them to be known not only in the Philippines but to the
whole world.

Future researchers, this study will serve as reference for the

future researchers that may conduct the similar project. This
will also provide added knowledge about Nueva Ecija and the laws
about the protected area in the Philippines.
Architecture and Environment, this study will serve as a
contribution of the researcher not only to Architecture but also
to the conservation of our environment.
 E. Conceptual Framework

The project, Kubling Paraiso, the Redevelopment of

Minalungao National Park, focuses to the provision of
facilities that will help to develop the present condition
of the park.

INPUT PROCESS OUTPUT

Consideration of Job
the site opportunities will
orientation and be provided.
present
condition Development of
Providing facilities Complying to the tourism in Nueva
for the Minalungao applicable laws Ecija
National Park in designing the
park
Maintenance of Park will be
the park. properly secure
Highlight the and maintain
nature and
environment.
F. Justification of the Study

This research is not a duplicate of any existing studies.

All data, facts and information will be gatherer through
different method and processes prior to the proposed project
entitled KUBLING PARAISO, the Redevelopment of Minalungao
National Park.

There is an early proposals that been made by the Ground-

Air Logistics Corporation (GALCO), the private sector who will
finance the project, regarding the development of the Minalungao
National Park, but this replication aims for the better revision
of the study. The present study seeks not only for the
development of tourism in the vicinity, but also for the
development of the present facilities in the park as well as the
provision of security and maintenance of the environment for
preservation for future users and genaration. The plan of the
research/study is to redevelop and to provide proper management
not only to the parks recreational area but as well as to its
protected area.
G. Goals and Objectives

GOALS
The goal of the study is to redevelop the present
condition of the Minalungao National Park. It includes the
maintenance, security, orientation, circulation and other
consideration applicable in designing the park.
The study also aim to provide facilities that will in-
house some local officials who will administer/monitor the
condition of the park for it to be properly secure and
maintain, this will help to minimize the illegal activities
occurring in the park.

OBJECTIVES

The objectives of the propose project is the following:

To bring more people to nature.

To provide an architectural design and technologies that

will fit to the site and the needs of the park that will
be sustainable but will make less harm for the
environment.

To develop the aesthetic not only the building but also

the nature and environment, since it will be the
highlight of the Minalungao National Park.
H. Definition of Terms

BOT / Build, Operate and Transfer Scheme is a form of

project financing, wherein a private entity receives a
concession from the private or public sector to finance,
design, construct and operate a facility stated in the
concession contract. This enables the project proponent to
recover to its investment, operating and maintenance expenses
in the project.
- This also finds extensive application in the
infrastructure projects and in public-private partnership.

DENR - Department of Environment and Natural Resources

Ecotourism is a significant tool in sustainable development

as it also advocates protection of our natural resources, the
base from which the ecotourism industry thrives. Ecotourism
seeks to put in place mechanisms that are environmentally
sustainable, economically-viable, and socially-equitable in
order to bring about development in the country that would
redound to the benefit of local communities, especially the
poor and marginalized sectors of society.

Memorandum of Agreement is can be used as a document

outlining the cooperative terms of two entities to work in
partnership on certain listed projects, or as a general
partnership. The agreed responsibilities of the partners will
be listed and the benefits of each party will be listed. As a
part of the agreement there is usually a list of binding terms
that makes the partnership a cohesive unit and often there is
an obligation of funds attached to certain terms in the
agreement. A tenancy MOA is an agreement between the parties
and they may require consent to let from the current
freeholders

National Park is a park, in use for conservation that is

often reserve for natural, semi-natural, or developed land
that a sovereign state declares or owns. It is also considered
as Protected Area.

NIPAS Law / National Integrated Protected Areas System Act of

1992 or the Republic Act No. 7586, an act providing for the
establishment and management of national integrated areas
system, defining its scope and coverage, and for other
purposes.

Protected Area or Natural Parks, are locations which receive

protection because of their recognized natural, ecological
and/or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected
areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the
enabling laws of each country or the regulations of the
international organizations involved.

Redevelopment the physical development (consisting mainly

renovation, rehabilitation, retrofit, upgrading and the like
as well as expansion and/or new construction work) within a
lot or property that is under-utilized, unfit/unsafe for
habitation/use or within other lots/properties that are
similarly situated.