PWPA sets record straight

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Wood Producers Association (PWPA) wants to set the record straight that its Integrated Forest Management Agreement (IFMA) holder company-members are engaged in sustainable management of natural residual forests and abide by government rules and regulations.

The PWPA lamented recent press, radio, and TV accounts that have blamed rampant illegal logging, mining and deforestation of watersheds as the aggravating causes of recent flooding events.

The PWPA is the accredited national organization of company-members who are variously involved in the sustainable management of natural residual forests, the development of industrial tree plantations in open forest lands, and the manufacturing of wood products such as lumber, veneer, plywood and construction wood materials.

It was established in 1951 (SEC Registration No. 6092) taking-off from its predecessor-in-intent organization founded in 1939.

It has stringent By-Laws and Code of Ethics, including obedience of government rules and regulations.

Not more than 15 PWPA members have sustainable operations, through IFMA, in the same natural residual forests for the last 50 years.

These members are located in only 10 provinces out of a total of 82 provinces of the country.

They operate in parts of Apayao, Isabela, Aurora, Zamboanga del Norte, Misamis Oriental, Davao del Norte, Sultan Kudarat, Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Sur and Lanao del Sur.

PWPA IFMA-holders, it was stressed, have stopped their government-prescribed logging operations since the imposition of Executive Order 23, the nationwide logging moratorium issued by President Aquino on Feb. 1, 2011.

PWPA IFMA members, it was pointed out, have brought down from the forests all their logging equipment as ordered by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), and laid-off their forest workers, except their concession guards.

The wood processor-members of the PWPA, it was explained, are now importing their natural hardwood requirements even at a very high cost. Some have partial operations while others have stopped altogether.

Under EO 23, the Anti-Illegal Task Force (AILTF) is composed of the DENR, DILG, DND, AFP and PNP with Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Ramon Paje as its chairman.

EO 23 is nationwide in scope, meaning, with no exemptions from its coverage, thus including areas under the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

The AILTF, whose personnel work directly under Secretary Paje, is mandated to lead the anti-illegal campaign.

Also, created under EO 23, and reiterated in EO No. 26, is the National Greening Program likewise chaired by Secretary Paje.

Notwithstanding the AILTF, there are numerous accounts of illegal logging all over the country, intensified by the cut-off of legal sources from IFMA areas and the high cost of wood importation.

The PWPA is alarmed by the reported claim of Secretary Paje that illegal logs that were flushed down to Cagayan de Oro City came from Bukidnon where there has been no logging in natural forests for more than 20 years.

The PWPA wondered why illegal logging seems to be happening before the eyes of the AILTF.

The organization also questioned why, despite countless reforestation programs for the past 20 years, there are no trees as a result of such programs.

On the recent flooding in Bukidnon, the PWPA pointed out that the only timber harvesting done in the Bukidnon area is the one being conducted by Bukidnon Forest, Inc., a government corporation operating directly under the DENR, together with other Community-Based Forest Management-permit holders and small-operator licensees whose licenses were granted by the DENR.

The PWPA argued that EO 23 and similar fiats, as well as practically all forestry rules and regulations, only affect the legitimate industry players.

The PWPA questioned why the government thought that including the legitimate players in a logging moratorium or prescribing strict regulatory measures would stop floods, landslides, deforestation, and illegal logging.