DENR scraps 43 Central Luzon forest contracts

SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga  – The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has cancelled 43 Socialized Industrial Forest Management Agreements (SIFMAs) covering 3,880 hectares in Central Luzon in the last two years, after their lessees failed to develop the areas.      

This year alone, the DENR has reviewed a total of 157 SIFMA holders in Central Luzon covering at least 2,000 hectares. Of the number, 117 covering more than 1,300 hectares were recommended for cancellation, said DENR regional executive director Maximo Dichoso.

The latest cancellation involved six more agreements covering 735 hectares of forest lands.

“Not only did the SIFMA holders fail to develop and protect their areas, they also failed to pay their annual rentals, resulting in losses in government revenues,” Dichoso said.

The lessees also failed to submit annual accomplishment reports as stipulated in their SIFMAs, he added.