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Tuesday, May 27, 2003
No wood recovery permits
By Marjorie Ann Aballe/STC Mass Comm intern
DEPARTMENT of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Elisea Gozun ordered last May 13 the suspension of the issuance of wood recovery permits due to mounting reports of abuse.
This move was made by the DENR to review the policies regarding the wood recovery permits given to people in retrieving disposed and abandoned logs and damaged or defective trees.
The DENR usually issues wood recovery permits to community organizations, private individuals who have right of claim on an area, and ordinary businessmen for their furniture trade.
However, some individuals use these permits as convenient fronts for illegal logging.
This year, three wood recovery permits have been issued by DENR 7, Sun.Star learned.
One was issued in Argao, where a resident sought a permit to use the trees for building his house and two in Negros where community organizations gave rebel returnees a source of livelihood. These people are trained by the Technical Education and Skills Authority to produce chairs needed for schools.
According to Regional Technical Director Forestry Region 7 Isabelo Montejo, Central Visayas is not so much affected by the suspension because the area does not solely depend on these natural resources as a means of livelihood.
He added that the most affected area because of the new order is Mindanao because it is where most of the country’s furniture is processed. Mindanao also has the most number of abuses when it comes to taking advantage of the permits.
(May 27, 2003 issue)
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