The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) has ordered the local government units (LGUs) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) on Monday to coordinate with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in the crackdown of illegal logging and unlawful quarrying and in the conduct of tree planting programs in the aftermath of the series of typhoons that caused destruction and flooding in many parts of the country.
DILG Secretary Eduardo M. Año said that all LGUs and PNP units in the country must prioritize the protection of the environment.
“We must act quickly and in a whole-of-society fashion to protect our remaining forests around the country, otherwise, we are creating and causing more disasters for our country,” Año said.
“The flooding brought by Typhoon Ulysses is a harsh reminder that we are failing at doing our level best to protect the environment, especially our remaining forest cover. Kayat inaatasan ko ang lahat ng PNP units at LGUs na pigilan ang illegal logging at illegal quarrying sa kanilang mga nasasakupan (That is why I compelled all the PNP units and the LGUs to stop illegal logging and illegal quarrying in their respective jurisdictions),” he added.
Año said “the widespread flooding in Cagayan Valley, Bicol, Marikina, Rizal and in other parts of the country should be a wake-up call to all of us that we must protect our remaining forest cover, preserve our rich biodiversity, and allow our forests to regenerate and grow again.’’
The DILG secretary added that all LGUs and PNP units must reactivate their local Anti-Illegal Logging Task Forces in coordination with the Provincial and Community Environment and Natural Resources Office of the DENR.
The Task Forces were created under Executive Order 23, s. 2011 composed of the DENR, DILG, DND, AFP, PNP, and the LGUs.
He also reminded all LGUs “that under DENR Memorandum Circular 2011 all municipal/city mayors, through their respective barangay captains, are to conduct upland monitoring to ensure that no illegal logging, kaingin, and other forms of forest destruction take place within their jurisdictions with the directive to report to their Regional Task Forces (RTFs), through the Provincial Governor and/or the DILG Regional Director,” incidents of forests destruction especially slash and burn farming (kaingin) and illegal logging activities.’’
“All LGUs must reactivate their local Anti-Illegal Logging Task Force and be decisive in implementing the anti-illegal logging campaign and implementation of environmental laws and programs within their localities,” he said.
Año also directed the PNP to set up checkpoints and arrest illegal loggers who violate the Revised Forestry Code with strict emphasis on Section 79 stipulating the “Unlawful Occupation or Destruction of Forest Lands and Grazing Lands.”
Under Section 79, any person who “causes any damage to the timber stand and other products and forest growth found therein” shall be punished under the said Code while Section 89 of the same Code states that “Philippine National Police shall arrest even without warrant any person who has committed or is committing in his presence any of the offenses defined in this Chapter.”
He warned that illegal loggers will be criminally charged for violating the Forestry Code of the Philippines (P.D. 705) and Republic Act No. 9175, the Chainsaw Act of 2002, among others. “It is imperative that we must stop the wanton destruction of our remaining forest resources not only for our sake but also for future generations who will suffer the consequences of our inaction,” Año said.
He also urged all LGUs “to deploy more forest guards and the DENR to deploy more foresters to monitor our forests and engage local communities and civil society organizations in reforestation programs, particularly the National Greening Program.”