CAGAYAN DE ORO City, Feb. 9, 2010— Instead of a total log ban, a non-government organization in partnership with the Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro is proposing for a log ban in timberland areas of Misamis Oriental.
Carl Cesar Rebuta, team leader of the Legal Rights and Natural Resources Center-Kasama sa Kalisakan/Friends of the Earth (LRC-KsK/FoE) here, said they are calling for a log ban in forestland areas of the province because it is more “economic-friendly” since it will not prohibit cutting of trees in planted areas.
The wood industry and other related industries here sourced their wood from tree plantations.
However, there are still a number of timber poaching and illegal logging activities in the province and neighboring provinces.
“A total log ban prohibits the cutting of trees in all areas, whether timberland or tree plantations,” he said.
Rebuta, whose office is affiliated with the Alternative Law Group (ALG), said that there really is a need to protect the remaining forestland areas of the province to avoid a similar destruction wrought about by tropical storm Urduja last November or the widespread flooding in January 2009 brought about by the tail-end of a cold front.
Twenty-two of the 23 municipalities of the province lie along the coastal plains of Misamis Oriental, which has an estimated 1.5 million inhabitants.
More than 1 million of the population are living along the coastal and low-lying areas of the province.
Misamis Oriental has a total land area of 316,730 hectares, and 70 percent of its land area or 221,711 hectares are classified as hilly or upland.
Also, 47% of its land area is classified as forestland while 53% are alienable and disposable lands.
But as of 1996, DENR-10 reported that forestland in the whole province now occupies only an area of 6,243 hectares. The rest of the forestland are considered denuded or brushland timberland.
“As stewards of God’s creation, and our intergenerational responsibility to the future, we really need to protect the integrity of creation. One way of doing this is to protect our environment,” said Cagayan de Oro Archbishop Antonio Ledesma.
In the case of Misamis Oriental, “since there are only a few hectares of forestland left, then it is our responsibility to protect these as God’s good stewards,” he added.
Aside from proposing for a log ban in timberland areas, both Ledesma and Rebuta also called for (1) reforestation of the province’s timberland by communities and local government units; and (2) enactment of local laws to close all the watershed areas of Misamis Oriental from destructive activities.
While it is the mandate of the DENR to protect the environment, LGUs are mandated by the Constitution to protect their constituents by protecting the environment and ecology.
Sec.16, Article 11 of the 1987 Constitution says that “the State shall protect and advance the right of the people to a balanced and healthful ecology in accord with the rhythm and harmony of nature.”
The Local Government Code of 1991 (RA 7160) also gives authority to LGUs to exercise police powers over their territorial jurisdiction.
Sec. 16 of the 1991 LGC states that “…local government units shall ensure and support, among other things, the preservation and enrichment of culture, promote health and safety, enhance the right of the people to a balanced and healthful ecology…”
Trees or forests are carbon sink that help mitigate global warming and climate change.
The Climate Change Act of 2009 (RA 9729) recognized and strengthened the role of the LGUs in addressing climate change.
Sec. 14 of RA 9729 states that “the LGUs shall be the frontline agencies in the formulation, planning and implementation of climate change action plans in their respective areas, consistent with the provisions of the Local Government Code, the Framework and the National Climate Change Action Plan.” (Bong D. Fabe)
