MP execs forge MOU on protecting forests

HAPPY WEEKEND

Gina Dizon

BONTOC, Mountain Province  - To take an active role among barangay officials in the prevention of forest fires was emphasized during a gathering of a 100 plus barangay officials along with officers from the provincial government and Dept. of Environment and Natural Resources and Bureau of Fire Protection and other government agencies  last March 26.

Following a forum here conducted by the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources and BFP with the provincial government, the Liga ng mga Barangay was particularly included in the formation of an interagency task group with cooperation of multi-sectoral groups including church and media.

The activity was bound by a memorandum of understanding between the provincial government, DENR, BFP, Departments of Interior and Local Government and Education, National Defense, Science and Technology Information and Communications Technology Social Welfare and Development,  Agriculture and Health.

              Others were Philippine National Police, Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine Red Cross- Mountain Province.  

The IATG was formed to coordinate with concerned agencies  enforcement of environmental laws and protection of the public from environmental related threats and destruction.  

An action planning followed which identified the crucial role of barangays in forest fire protection and strategies to do this to be further refined in detailed planning by the IATG this second week of April.

In said event, Gov. Bonifacio Lacwasan said the role of barangay officials is crucial in the protection of forests. Lacwasan added P100,000 was is programmed as incentive to a barangay with no forest fires.

This as a resolution on prevention of forest fires was passed by the recent provincial peace and order council for the allocation of  P100,000 for a barangay having incurred no forest fires in a year.

              As per report from BFP- Mountain Province  Supt. Floyd Toyokan, there are 46 forest fire incidents from January to March  this year having razed some 96 hectares of mountain land most especially in the municipalities of Bontoc, Sagada, Bauko in that order with an estimated damage cost of some P1.9 million.

This, apart from other undocumented and un-investigated forest fires in the different parts of the Province.

Sadanga had zero forest fire and there must be some good practices why Sadanga has no mountain fires; followed by Natonin with only one incident of forest fire in the past three months.

In said forum, a covenant was signed by the 100 plus participants forwarding their commitment to protect the mountains particularly from forest fires agreeing that the protection of the mountains from any form of destruction is a responsibility of all. For one, to obey customary laws and ordinances on forest fire prevention.