Coco lumber supply runs out

ORMOC CITY, Philippines — Citing the three million coconut trees fell by typhoon Yolanda, stakeholders from the shelter cluster in western part of Leyte announced the shortage of supply of coconut lumber.

Dario Cubelo of the United Nations Development Programme, who made the announcement in last Friday's meeting with Mayor Edward Codilla at the City Hall, attributed the sheer number of needed lumber, shortage of manpower and the need to meet the quality standard of the materials as primary causes.

World Vision also shared the view, noting worm infestation and soft lumber caused by premature falling due to Yolanda.

Other stakeholders reasoned the difficulty in transporting the fallen trees from the mountains to the five sawmills located in different LGUs.

Christy Marfil of the International Organization of Migration (IOM), expressed her organization's plan to get coco supplies from outside of Leyte, as far as Mindanao just to meet the target.

UNDP, as of this writing, has already added six sawmills to the existing three, while the Philippine Coconut Authority is also operating some 20 chain saws to augment the gap.

"We are targeting 10 million board feet of coco lumber to be available by October," Cubelo said, adding that 40 percent of the lumber will be given free to shelter cluster member-organizations.

The presiding officer, Bee Ciriaco of IOM, noting the grave concern of the shortage, got a unanimous support for his plan to invite the Phil. Coconut Authority and the DENR in the next meeting to help find ways to address the issue.

Aside from the incoming wet months which may bring problems to the homeless and those with damage houses, the cluster also considered the local coco lumber businessmen who will be affected by the free distribution starting next week.

"We have to be aware of the prevailing economic activities of the area, thus, our program also allows the buying and selling of private entities to compliment our free lumber distribution," Cubelo said. (FREEMAN)