PCA sets fine on illegal cutting of coco trees

People who cut coconut trees illegally will be fined P50,000 to P500,000 and imprisoned from one to six years, according to the revised set of the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) issued by the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA).

The revised rules, known as Coconut Preservation Act of 1995, is embodied under Administrative Order 02 series of 2005 which is implemented on Jan. 23, 2006.

Under the revised IRR, PCA Administrator Jesus Emmanuel M. Paras explained that under the revised IRR, coconut trees have re-defined to include newly planted and unproductive ones to prevent dismisal of criminal cases due to legal technicalities. Also, "illegal cutting of coconut trees" now includes forms of circumvention such as uprooting and poisoning of trees.

Paras added that the revised IRR addressed the anomalous practice of "splitting and recycling of permit cut (PTC). The validity of PTCs now is limited to 15 days without extension, regardless of the number trees applied for cutting. Even vehicles caught transporting illegally coconut logs/lumbers for the second time will now be impounded by the PCA indefinitely and will not be released without a court order.

Coconut production applicants for cutting are required to replace cut trees and indicate specific sites to ensure compliance and for monitoring purposes. In lieu of replanting, applicants may opt to pay P50 per tree for land converted areas. Proceeds shall accrue to the PCA’s budget for planting and replanting.

Paras has assured the public that the provisions of AO No. 02 will be fully implemented. To have a full grasp of the provisions of AO 02 Paras urges parties to secure copies from the records division of the PCA at the R&D Building Elliptical Road, Diliman, Quezon City, copies may also be secured from PCA regional and provincial offices nationwide.