Anti-illegal logging campaign raised in Eastern Visayas

TACLOBAN CITY, Philippines— Anti-illegal logging drive in Eastern Visayas has been intensified by the DENR-Region 8, amid reports of illegal cutting of trees here.

DENR-8 regional executive director Leonardo Sibbaluca told The Freeman that intelligence work and close monitoring of lumber trading in the region are now being undertaken.

"We have to closely monitor the utilization of trees felled during typhoon Yolanda in order to protect the standing trees spared from the typhoon from being cut by unscrupulous loggers," he said.  

The anti-illegal logging drive, led by Manuel Ferreras of the Palo Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO), has initially resulted in a series of confiscation of illegally cut and transported lumber, Sibbaluca said.

Last Jan. 24, the Ferreras team has apprehended in Jaro town of Leyte a truck loaded with 135 pieces of kili-kili (anubing) lumber with a volume of 1,050 board feet that was supposed to be transported to Tacloban City.

Further, three motorcycles carrying illegally cut laua-an lumber with a total volume of 418 board feet were also apprehended on the same day in Carigara, Leyte.

Leyte's Provincial Environment  and Natural Resources officer (PENRO) Ranulfo Arbiol, for his part, however told the public to utilize only the trees felled by Yolanda for housing materials, but they have to go to the nearest CENRO and apply for a salvaging permit for the purpose.

Arbiol said, "The felled trees and even coconut trees that can be used to reconstruct houses are more than enough so we have to protect our standing trees much as we are pursuing the implementation of the National Greening Program."  (FREEMAN)