By Ali Macabalang
DIGOS CITY – The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has donated at least 20,000 board feet of illegally cut flitches and lumber for use by residents in Davao del Sur to rebuild their houses destroyed by last year’s series of earthquakes.
Department of Environment and Natural Resources (MANILA BULLETIN)
DENR Undersecretary Jim Sampulna brought here the donation in trucks at a ceremonial turnover last Thursday with Davao del Sur Governor Douglas Cagas.
The ceremony was witnessed by Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) Chairman Manny Piñol, who had earlier asked DENR Secretary Roy Cimatu for donation of state-confiscated timber materials for use in earthquake affected areas in Davao del Sur.
Cimatu readily approved the verbal request of Piñol who, alongside Senators Christopher “Bong” Go and Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, conducted an ocular inspection of damaged structures in Padada, Davao del Sur. The town sustained the brunt of the tremor.
It was learned that Thursday’s donation constituted an initial segment of the DENR’s total donation that would also cover North Cotabato areas that suffered structural damages in the October 16, 29 and 31, 2019 tremors.
In this city and five North Cotabato towns, some 30,000 residents were reported displaced and 22 people killed in the series of earthquakes with magnitudes ranging from 5.6 to 6.3, according to official statistics.