THE Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) in Negros Occidental has been strictly implementing the temporary ban on cutting coconut trees in the province.
Effective January 3, the PCA ordered a three-month moratorium on the cutting of coconut trees in the country, except in the province of Basilan and Isabela City.
Rodrigo Gamaracha Jr., provincial coconut development manager, Friday, January 6, said that aside from the need to recover from the production volume decreases, the ban will provide time for the agency to finalize the revision of the implementing rules and regulations (IRR).
Gamaracha said the PCA Central Office is currently harmonizing the IRR of Republic Acts 8048 and 10593, which will be merged under the new administration aimed at minimizing the loopholes in its implementation.
“We are ultimately following the directives in our level,” he said, adding that the IRR revision will result to more effective and efficient measures in improving the local coconut industry.
In Negros Occidental, Gamaracha said it has already informed coconut farmers about the temporary cutting ban.
He added that it will be one of the main agenda of the second coconut summit in Sagay City today.
They will also call on the help of Philippine National Police personnel in the province to assist them in the monitoring as well as in intercepting illegal coconut loggers, he further said.
“We are banking on the help of different sectors especially the organized farmers in strictly implementing the moratorium,” Gamaracha said. “We are urging them to report illegal activities for immediate and necessary action.”
Amid the existing order, there might still be cutting activities especially in the north and south portions of Negros Occidental.
Gamaracha said that before the issuance of the moratorium last December 28, there were already cutting permits approved on and before December 23.
“As of now, illegal cutting of coconut trees is not that rampant and alarming in the province,” he said, adding that as of Friday, they have not recorded any violation.
PCA-Negros Occidental records showed that the province currently has about 40,000 hectares of coconut plantations.
The areas comprise almost 2.4 million bearing trees, which are densely populated in First, Second and Sixth Districts, it added.