8 Vizcaya towns tagged as illegal logging ‘hot spots’

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya — At least eight municipalities here, which form part of the province’s critical watershed, have been tagged as illegal logging "hot spots."

Roberto Apigo, provincial environment and natural resources officer, said these towns, mostly mountainous areas, have been the favorite grounds of so-called "carabao logging," or "bagkat logging." Bagkat is an Iluko term which means "to carry."

These "hot spots," according to Apigo, include the upland municipalities of Ambaguio, Kayapa, Alfonso Castañeda, Kasibu, Quezon, and Villaverde.

Ambaguio is considered as the watershed of the Matuno River, one of the major tributaries of the mighty Magat River, where the multimillion-peso Magat Dam and hydroelectric project in Ramon, Isabela derives water to irrigate at least 80,000 hectares of farmlands in Isabela and generate electricity for the Luzon grid.

Generally, Nueva Vizcaya, which is 70 percent mountainous, is considered as the "watershed" of Cagayan Valley.

Alfonso Castañeda town hosts two major rivers — Casecnan and Taal — which supply the irrigation and power needs of the Casecnan multipurpose irrigation and power project.

Some 600,000 hectares of farmlands in Central Luzon and parts of western Pangasinan depend on Casecnan for irrigation.

In his report during the peace and order council meeting here, Apigo said some of the towns considered as "hot spots" are not necessarily sites of "carabao logging" but as major transshipment areas for illegally cut forest products.

Apigo, who has been under fire for the alleged inability of his office to contain the seemingly unabated illegal cutting of trees here, appealed to other concerned authorities to help them stop these illegal activities.

"I must admit we cannot do it alone. We need everybody’s support in containing ‘carabao logging’ in the province," he said.

Illegally cut lumber, some of them high-grade narra which end up in furniture shops, are being transported allegedly with the protection or even "direct supervision" of local environment personnel.

Vice Gov. Jose Gambito castigated Apigo over reports that some of his employees are even the alleged owners or proprietors of local furniture shops, whose permits to operate were reportedly obtained under "questionable" circumstances.

"It is very revolting to note that some (environment) employees are the ones benefiting from this ‘carabao logging,’"Gambito said.

Gov. Luisa Lloren-Cuaresma warned Apigo that "if you cannot do your job, I will do it for you."

Cuaresma said she has been receiving numerous complaints from mountain villagers about the rampant cutting and shipment of logs in their areas.

She said she has the names of those behind these illegal activities "but I don’t care who they are," warning that she would divulge them in due time.

"If you cannot apprehend them, I will apprehend them for you," Cuaresma told Apigo.

Last year, some members of the provincial board, over which Gambito presides, called on then Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Michael Defensor to relieve Apigo from his post for allegedly failing to contain the illegal cutting of trees in the province, especially in the Casecnan watershed in Alfonso Castañeda town.