BAUKO, Mountain Province – Officials here,
alarmed by illegal logging activities, have mapped plans to stop destruction of
forests of this town where most headwaters of three major systems in the region
like the Chico River emanate
This, after a village
official and four other persons were arrested for illegal cutting of pine trees
in over six hectares of land here in Sitio Baan last week.
Barangay Balintaugan
councilman Carlos Combisen, Ariel Bomogao, Jerry Padingil, Joel
Padingil and William Daping were arrested in Barangay Balintaugan May 7.
At least five dump
trucks were used to haul the illegally cut trees worth P500,000, Senior Supt.
Cornelio Comila, Mountain Province police director, said Tuesday.
The Department of
Environment and Natural Resources said it took three days for government
foresters and police operatives to finish hauling the fallen and sawn pine
trees.
Following this, the 22
barangays captains of this municipality met with re-electionist Mayor Abraham
B. Akilit and agreed on strict measures to stop illegal logging.
Bila barangay captain
CalixtoGamlosen reminded his fellow barangay captains of their indigenous duty
as stewards of land and resources.
He urged that the
practice of “inayan” should be practiced in protecting he environment. Inayan
is the indigenous principle of criticizing and prohibiting harmful deeds to
common good and unity.
Akilit required
barangay officials to craft programs on environment and watershed protection
the soonest to avoid repetition of the same incident.
He also called
attention and cooperation of BantayGubat and Environment personnel on
implementation of Executive Order 23 (nationwide log ban) of President Aquino
and for specific actions on illegal logging.
The barangay captains
agreed on strict implementation of local laws like
wood should only be
for housing purposes among locals of the barangays and strictly not for sale or
commercial purposes.
Permission of the
barangay captain should be sought for logging plans on housing purposes with
the former validating and endorsing processes for permission to log.
Cultural needs for
death, weddings and emergency situations are recognized and allowed with
restrictions and;
Others: observance of
the tree planting ordinance, creation and institutionalization of anti-illegal
logging teams, crafting and implementation of no forest fire policies,
crafting with
assistance of DENR of a forest
management plan and incorporation of the traditional watershed management
practices.
“The mountain and the
trees give water, water gives life to our plants and animals which make water
is life, by guarding the forests including lives within it is guarding life,”
Akili said. “We owe to our children to protect the forest for their future”.
Bauko is 17,819.04
hectares in land area. Some 3,307.28 hectares are forested areas while 6,074.63
hectares are gracing and pasture sites. Bauko hosts the eastern Kalawitan
Mountain, Mount Am-o, Timmakudo Mountain, Nentingli, Mount Sesekan, Mount Data
National Park and other smaller mountains that support the Agno, Chico and Abit
rivers. -- With a report from ArseniaAddon
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