A PORTION of Puguis Communal Forest in La Trinidad, Benguet is being pushed as a training ground for police in a bid to prevent the put-up of illegal structures.

The local government unit (LGU) of La Trinidad, together with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)-Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) and Philippine National Police Regional Special Training Unit (PNPRSTU), recently signed a memorandum of understanding with the aim to come up with a training ground for police.

Mayor Romeo Salda said only a portion of the communal forest will be utilized as training ground of PNP.

PNP RSTU-CAR penned a letter last August 18, requesting for the conduct of a joint ocular inspection at the communal forest in reference to their proposal for a training ground in the area.

"In a bid to strengthen the co-management approach in ensuring the sustainability as well as security of the Puguis Communal Forest, there is a significant need for concerned stakeholders to take significant action towards protecting the remaining forests in our community," the MOU said.

A series of demolition were conducted earlier this year at the communal forest by personnel from the LGU, DENR-CAR, Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (Penro)-Benguet, Bureau of Fire Protection, Health Services Office, together with Scene of the Crime Operatives (Soco) and La Trinidad Municipal Police Station (MPS).

Present during the MOU signing were LGU officials led by Salda, Vice Mayor Roderick Awingan, RSTU-COR Training Manager P/Lieutenant Colonel Myles Angel Pascual, DENR-CAR Cenro Baguio representative Walter Pedro, La Trinidad MPS chief Police Major Cleff Vencio, Municipal General Service Officer Dwight Daodao and Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Officer Arthur Pedro.

On September 25, 300 coffee Arabica seedlings were planted by the La Trinidad Municipal Employees Multi-purpose Cooperative and 200 coffee seedlings and 30 culms of Bamboo planted by the Congregation from Holy Guardian Angels Parish of Pico with the Brotherhood of Saint Andrew, Episcopal Youth Movement and Episcopal Church of Women over the weekend.