DAVAO CITY (July 9) — The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has donated the confiscated logs and timber to Task Force Bangon Marawi (TFBM) for the rehabilitation of Marawi City schools.
About 871,453 board feet of confiscated logs and flitches valued over PHP43.5 million was donated.
Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu during the 31st anniversary of the DENR said “In our drive against illegal logging, DENR was able to donate lumber to help in rebuilding Marawi.”
The illegally cut trees, logs and timbers were confiscated from Zamboanga, Northern Mindanao and Caraga regions.
It will be used to repair school buildings and provide arm chairs in Marawi.
Cimatu signed the deed of donation in the presence of Task Force Bangon Marawi Chairperson Eduardo del Rosario, who also sits as the chair of the housing and urban development (HUDCC).
In his speech, Cimatu stressed “While we pursue culprits of illegal logging activities, we also continuously address extreme degradation of the country’s forests.”
Cimatu also cited the effort of his agency to reforest the denuded areas nationwide, saying they will intensify forest monitoring and protection by using the Lawin system.
“Lawin is a modern monitoring tool that tracks and records threats and observations in forests,” he said.
Over 3,000 forest patrollers received training in, and are already using the Lawin system, he noted.
This developed as forest rangers of the DENR have long requested the agency to provide more personnel to monitor the forest against illegal loggers.
As it is now, only one forest ranger is assigned to monitor every 15 hectares.-Harold V. Pontogan/NewsLineph
