DENR implements logging ban, corruption reforms

This refers to the articles on DENR which appeared both in Ms. Mary Ann Ll. Reyes’ (Hidden Agenda, November 4, 2012) and Mr. Jarius Bondoc’s (Gotcha, Nov. 7 and 9, 2012) columns.

Firstly, our enforcement and implementation of forestry laws to curb illegal logging and corruption have already led to legal actions against individuals and entities found to have disregarded environmental laws.

To cite, the DENR’s anti-illegal logging drive has recently netted the confiscation of more than 19 million board feet of forest products, and caused the filing of 546 cases in courts, resulting in the conviction of 72 persons. The confiscated forest products have been converted into chairs and donated to the Department of Education. As of late, more than 100,000 pieces of chairs and desks have been donated to DepEd.

The DENR’s implementation of the logging ban in natural forests pursuant to Executive Order No. 23 has resulted in the drastic reduction of illegal logging hotspots from 197, before EO 23, to only 31. It has also ceased all authorized logging operations in natural forests, nationwide, virtually stopping timber extraction of about 300 million board feet per year.

In fact, the country’s logging ban (EO23) and National Greening Program (EO 26) were two of the five categories given a perfect score (100%) by the Yale University, Columbia University, the World Economic Forum, and the Joint Research Center of the European Commission in the 2012 Environmental Performance Index (EPI) of the World, affording the Philippines to jump eight notches, from No. 50 in 2012 to No. 42 in 2012, out of 132 countries. The Philippines outranked countries like South Korea (43rd), Australia (48th), United States (49th), Singapore (52nd), Israel (61st). EPI is an evaluation of the sustainability of the environmental programs and policies of the countries concerned.

Likewise, the anti corruption reforms being implemented by the DENR have yielded unprecedented success. For the first time, the DENR was given double upgrade by the business community on Sincerity Against Corruption in the recent Social Weather Stations survey. This allowed DENR to jump 35 notches, from –34 in 2009 to +1 in 2012.

Attached for your information and ready reference is the summarized presentation on these reports as presented to Congress and the Office of the President. (Annex “A”)

However, we are very much saddened by the slew of columns citing anonymous employees’ purported complaints. It is so unfair to dignify such accusations when the DENR Employees Union (DENREU) has already issued resolutions disclaiming authorship of the concocted complaints and affirming its continuing support to the current DENR leadership. (Annexes “B” and “C”)

Also attached for your appreciation is a copy of our Oct. 26, 2012 letter to Governor Antonio H. Cerilles regarding the issuance of Special Ore Extraction Permit (SOEP) to the Lupa Pigigetawan Mining Company, Inc. in November 2009. (Annex “D”). ­