Conversion of forest lands hit

BISLIG CITY — A non-government organization (NGO) has taken the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) to task for what it alleged to be the "rampant conversion of declared permanent forests into mining purposes."

In a statement, Alfredo Reyes, president of the Citizens Log Watch, reminded the bureau about the recent statement of Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Elisea Gozun that the conversion of forest lands into other purposes was the culprit behind the flash floods and landslides that killed 200 people and destroyed properties in Southern Leyte and the Caraga region.

Reyes also recalled that Sen. Aquilino Pimentel recently asked the DENR to explain how vast tracts of former forest lands had been converted into banana and fruit plantations.