BAGAC, Bataan- The Department of Environment and Natural Resources provincial office in Pilar town on Wednesday said it has tightened watch over illegal logging and charcoal-making activities in the province especially in the area between Mariveles and Bagac towns.
DENR provincial chief Amado Villanueva said that with the massive campaign, the illegal activities have gone down with the help of the military, non-governmental organizations and concerned citizens.
“But we have to be vigilant with our resolve to stop illegal logging and charcoal-making to mitigate global warming, floods and landslides that we experience,” he said.
The provincial environment and natural resources officer said they consider the area between Mariveles and Bagac as still “hotspots” although there are no big-time logging operations but merely carabao logging.
Villanueva said active members of Bantay Gubat in the two towns have greatly assisted in the drive against the illegal trade.
He said, however, that they need military assistance with what happened recently when they impounded five carabaos caught in the act of hauling sawn lumber.
The men using the carabaos escaped and left the animals that members of DENR’s forest management and protection team got hold of and left in the compound of the barangay hall but only to learn later that armed men freed the carabaos.
Forester Edgar Laggui, chief of DENR’s forest management and protection in Bagac, said they confiscated the other day 71 sacks of charcoal made from tree species acacia, manggium, eucalyptus and g’melina in Barangay Banawang in Bagac.
Four suspects were arrested while the two vehicles used were impounded, said Cenro Juanito David.
“Mahigpit kami sa panghuhuli ng nag-uuling sa bundok dahil nauubos ang mga kahoy kahit sa mga reforested areas,” Laggui said.
“Patuloy kami sa pagpapaalaala sa masamang epekto na dulot ng pagpuputol ng kahoy at pag-uuling ngunit may mga nagsasabi pa ring nagagawa nila ito dahil sa kahirapan,” Villanueva said.
