The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Calabarzon gathered recently the region’s field officials at the Calamba City office for a strengthened anti-illegal logging stance a day after President Aquino delivered his third State of the Nation Address.
DENR Calabarzon Regional Executive Director Reynulfo Juan presided over the meeting which included personnel from the provincial environment and natural resources office (PENRO) and the community environment and natural resources office (CENRO).
“Transport of forest products will be done during the day and will not be allowed at night,” Juan said. He said this will make monitoring easier since this is in broad daylight.
This is part of the implementation of Executive Order 23 issued by the President in February last year which declared a moratorium on cutting and harvesting of timber in natural and residual forests and created the Anti-Illegal Logging Task Force.
“Transport permits will be issued by CENROs with a condition to transport forest products within the day. Forest products transported during the night will be considered contraband and will be subject to confiscation. Vehicles used to transport the contraband will also be taken along. Appropriate charges will be filed against the transporters,” Juan said.
“But while we will be stricter, we should be on guard ourselves. Our area is the gateway to Manila and while we may state that there is no illegal logging in our area, the forest products pass through our area before they reach Manila,” he added.
Juan said there was a need for a uniform implementation of the issuance of transport documents under existing policies and regulations.
He added that transport documents for all kinds of forest products will be issued by the concerned CENRO after validation of the forest products’ legality. The PENRO concerned may conduct further validation when necessary.
All transport documents will be valid only for three days upon issuance, Juan stressed.
The CENRO where the forest products originated from will inform the CENRO who has jurisdiction over the area of destination on details of the shipment, including expected arrival for proper acknowledgement to ensure proper monitoring, checking, and recording, he related.
Transporters or holders of Certificate of Tree Plantation Ownership will have to submit details of the conveyance or the list of conveyances which will be used to transport the forest products to the CENRO of origin, Juan said, adding that applications for permit to transport will be submitted to the same CENRO, with copies furnished the DENR regional office and the PENRO within the day the application is filed.
He said the “revitalized and sterner anti-illegal logging stance” will entail a more close-knit coordination with the law enforcers — the Philippine Army and the Philippine National Police for joint anti-illegal logging operations; focused forest protection efforts in identified hot spots in the region, exit and entry points, and a strategic mapping of road networks; closure of wood processing plants which are unable to present proof of a five year contract of sustainable wood supply, stricter monitoring of holders of Private Timber Plantation Owners Certificates; conduct vigilant surveillance during the night; and issuance of permits to transport valid or legitimate forest products to be done during daytime.