Wednesday, December 12, 2007 Illegal logging threatens S. Cotabato's water resources By Allen V. Estabillo
KORONADAL CITY--South Cotabato's water resources may reportedly end up dry in a few decades if the illegal logging activities in the area would not be stopped soon, a local environmental watchdog warned.
Sister Pia Rabiera, chair of the province's Multi-Sectoral Forest Protection Committee (MSFPC), said the continuing destruction of the province's forests and watershed areas has already reached an "alarming stage" since the area now only has 11 percent primary and 23 percent secondary forest cover.
Rabiera said such finding was based on a recent study made by the Allah Valley Landscape Development Alliance and the Environmental Science for Social Change.
"The study shows that we only have a limited primary forest cover, which is our major source of water and home to many wildlife and endemic species”, she said.
To help address the problem, Rabiera said the MSFPC has linked up with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources for an intensified development and forest monitoring in the province's 10 towns and lone city.
She said the committee is currently working on protecting the watershed areas, investigating cases of illegal cutting of trees, cases of illegal logging in protected areas and restoration zones and intensify campaigns on riverbank rehabilitation.
Rabiera said the committee has initially sought for an investigation on the alleged deterioration of the ground water sources in barangay Cacub in Surallah town due to the use of powerful water pumps by a local company.
She said residents of the area themselves reported to the committee on the situation in the area.
Aside from this, Rabiera said they are also set to investigate the alleged "underbrushing" and slash and burn farming or "kaingin" in Sitio. Glandang, barangay Kablon in Tupi town.
"We will look into reports that non-permanent crops were being planted in the area and is not according to what the DENR has suggested. We will also see to it that such activity is not done within the restoration zone," she said.
