Woodcarving trade faces extinction due to total log ban law

By Vency D. Bulayungan

KIANGAN, Ifugao – Woodcarving, a cultural practice here and other parts of the province, which had been the livelihood of many local folk here, is now facing extinction due to the total log ban law. 

Woodcarvers here said they are having a hard time and urged Rep. TeodoroBaguilat to urge President Aquino to exempt the province from said law.

Rey Lopez Nauyac, a woodcarver from Hungduan town, said during a recent meeting woodcarvers suffered much loss of income when the national government implemented the total log ban.

Nauyac said that the industry will die if the government will stop woodcarvers from transporting their products outside the province.

He added there is no logging in the province since the people here practice the “muyong” (forest) system which is focused on forest management.

The muyong system is part of the Ifugao culture which promotes selective cutting of trees and planting trees for every tree cut.

On the other hand,JuanitaBognot, a woodcarver from Banaue, said that the woodcarving industry is helpful in curbing unemployment in the province. “We employ people who earn from this trade, send their children to school and buy food for their family.”

She said when the Department of Environment and Natural Resources prohibited them from transporting their products to Manila and other parts of the country, they had to stop employing people.

Felix Baguilat, senior staff of Rep. Baguilat Jr. said the congressman talked to DENR Sec. Ramon Paje and discussed the issue.