Friday, September 19, 2008 Town to stop giving tax decs for forestland
TO PROTECT the remaining forest cover, the Municipal Council of La Trinidad wants the municipal assessor's office not to issue tax declarations on areas found within the town's protected areas.
The Municipal Council said the non-issuance of tax declarations would stop squatting and encroachments on the protected forests in the town.
It also asked the identification of individuals whose tax declarations fall within the communal forests and watershed for possible cancellation of the declarations.
The Municipal Government has been initiating the conduct of relocation surveys among the communal forests located in at least five villages.
"The preservation and protection of communal forests and watershed is the paramount concern of the Municipal Government," the council said.
The communal woods lands and the watershed in Busol have been subjects of squatting and intrusions by private land claimants. (JC)
