Forest covers in Benguet quickly deteriorating

by SC Aro

La Trinidad, Benguet (21 November) — The provincial government is apprehensive of the deteriorating state of forest cover which it fear might be gone sooner than projected.

Benguet Governor Nestor Fongwan, in his report during the Regional Development Council meeting held recently, said denudation of forestland is at the rate of 8,400 hectares per year. Currently, the province has a total of 172,751 hectares of forestland.

Fongwan lamented that people cut trees as if they are harvesting cabbages. This is particularly observed in the tri-boundaries of the Benguet, Ifugao and Mt. Province. He presented this to members of the RDC as an urgent issue that need to be addressed.

The RDC has earlier passed a resolution creating a Quick Response Team (QRT) purposely to contain and hasten the resolution of the escalating problem on forest and watershed destruction in the region.

National Commission on Indigenous People – CAR Regional Director requested the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to submit a report to the RDC on status report of QRT such as the number of cases filed and the resolution of cases.

Ifugao Governor Teodoro Baguilat Jr suggested the best approach in dealing with the mounting problem of deforestation is to talk to the community such that they become stewards of the area.

Talking through experience, Baguilat cited efforts the Social Action and Development Commission (SADC), a non-government organization in Ifugao, which providing alternative source of livelihood to the community which minimized the utilization of forest products. The community themselves protect the mossy forest.

“We cannot just say stop cutting trees as the people also need resources,” Baguilat said.

He added the denudation of forest is affecting geological balance which greatly contributed to the calamities being experienced today. “It is not only the DENR to blame but all of us,” he pointed out.

Batay-an, on the other hand, said that the government should stop issuing tax declaration to the forested areas.

As provided for in the local government code, the management of community forests is now a devolved function of local government units which called for the creation of the Environment and Natural Resources Office.

In strengthening the provision of the code and to formally turn-over the management and supervision of community forest, Fongwan believes that a Memorandum of Agreement should be forged between the LGU and the DENR.

RDC Acting Chair and National Economic and Development Authority Regional Director Juan Ngalob said that devolution of such function requires further study. (PIA-Benguet)