DENR-7 identifies 8 priority areas against illegal logging
By Hazel F. Gloria
CEBU CITY, July 10 (PIA) -- The Regional Anti-illegal Logging Task Force (Raltf) in Central Visayas has identified eight priority areas in the crusade against illegal logging after the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) 7 convened the members of the task force on July 4.
The Raltf comprises the Philippine National Police (PNP), Armed Forces of the Philippines-Central Command, Bureau of Customs (BOC), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Naval Forces Central (Navforcen), and Philippine Air Force (PAF).
DENR 7 Regional Executive Director Dr. Isabelo R. Montejo said the RALTF agreed to strengthen the operationalization of the provincial anti-illegal logging task force in four provinces by closely coordinating with the local government units and other law enforcement agencies.
He added that the composition of a municipal and barangay anti-illegal logging task force is also being strongly considered.
Among the important strategies decided by the task force which was attended by nearly 15 members are: conduct of aerial documentation and surveillance for baseline information on natural forests and National Greening Program (NGP)-identified areas, and expedite the issuance of final confiscation order on apprehended or seized forest products without pending court cases.
Organized by DENR 7’s Forest Management Services (FMS), it also agreed to submit a flight plan for the aerial documentation and surveillance, coordinate and network with media partners and organizations, actively monitor hotspots areas, and update the members of the task force on the existing forestry laws, rules and regulations.
Montejo who chaired the RALTF urged all concerned municipal and city mayors, though their respective barangay captains and DENR field officials to conduct upland monitoring to ensure that no illegal logging, kaingin and other forms of forest destruction take place within their jurisdictions.
Meanwhile, he explained the importance of providing original transport documents covering the said forest commodities, not only as a basis for determining the resource but also in providing a control mechanism against the unauthorized movement and disposition of contraband forest products.
Certificate of Lumber Origin refers to the document issued by DENR to accompany the shipment (transport) of lumber, showing the number of pieces, species volume, place of loading, conveyance used, date of transport, its source and its consignee.
In a related development, Montejo said that region 7 can sustain its wood requirements as we have enough supply of timber in private plantations particularly in Negros Oriental. He also added that 60 to 70 percent of lumber here are imported.
“We would like to reiterate that our DENR Secretary Ramon JP Paje has been very serious against violators of the environmental laws and I have directed our DENR field officers to strictly monitor illegal transport of forest products,” he added.
Hotspots are the pier areas of Tagbilaran and Talibon, Bohol; Argao, Carmen, Liloan, Danao City, Bantayan Island, Talisay City, Toledo City and Cebu City; Ayungon and Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental; and Siquijor.
“The operators of the seized forest products including the conveyances used will have to undergo an Administrative Adjudication Proceedings to determine its culpability to existing forestry laws and regulations and the appropriate criminal cases will be filed against after exhaustive administrative procedures,” Montejo concluded.(PIA-7/HFG/DENR-7)
=============
DENR to allot P2M for 3-hectare clonal nurseries in NegOr
By Hazel F. Gloria
CEBU CITY, July 10 (PIA) -- The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) 7 is set to allocate nearly P2 million for the establishment and construction of a three-hectare clonal nurseries and relevant facilities in Barangay Banban, Ayungon, Negros Oriental.
This developed after a memorandum of agreement (MOA) was signed by DENR-7 Regional Executive Director Dr. Isabelo R. Montejo and Mayor Edcel Enardecido of Ayungon, Negros Oriental on June 29, 2012 as part of the environment month culmination.
Montejo said, “this is to produce high quality planting materials for the National Greening Program (NGP) requirements in the region as we conduct a massive greening program aimed at reducing poverty in the countryside while ensuring food security, biodiversity conservation and address climate change.”
He added this project again marks the strong partnership and collaboration between the DENR and LGUs of Negros Oriental in pursuing adequate and superior quality tree species necessary to augment the seedling requirement in Negros Oriental.
The construction of said nursery is expected to begin this month and to be completed in November.
Montejo explained that it could produce 500,000 to 1 million seedlings of native and endemic tree species. It also intends to grow agroforestry trees like cacao and coffee each year.
Early this year, the DENR has named the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) in Ayungon as a model site in the entire country for the successful implementation of the NGP after 930 hectares of degraded forest land were fully rehabilitated with strong support from the local government unit.
Montejo thanked DENR Secretary Ramon J. P. Paje for providing the funds for the nursery facility amounting to P1.9 million.
He added that NGP stakeholders would be trained on the clonal propagation technology of indigenous forest species, an asexual or vegetative approach to propagating trees species or cloning.
“Based on existing DENR research outputs, experiences and policies, we want to work very closely and critically with the various stakeholders as we provide them updates on reforestation techniques and methodologies,” he said. (PIA-7/hfg)
==============
DENR-7 verifies 16 invasive alien species in Cebu
By Hazel F. Gloria
CEBU CITY, July 10 (PIA) -- The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) 7 has listed and verified 16 invasive alien species (IAS) within the 28,312-hectare Central Cebu Protected Landscape (CCPL).
Species listed in a four-day inventory and field validation at CCPL conducted last April 2012 are: Swietenia macrophylla or mahogany, Gmelina arborea or gmelina, Acacia Mangium or brown salwood, Acacia Auricoliformis or auri, and Syzygium cumini or jambul.
“The results of inventory revealed that the most common IAS is the Mikania micrantha, a vine locally known as 'Ooko,'" said DENR-7 regional executive director Dr. Isabelo R. Montejo. "Ooko is a vine that tends to strangle seedling of trees and shrubs, and ranks first among IAS that invades other plant species."
The presence of Piper aduncum or matico raised an alarm among researchers since it is considered to be one of the priority invasive alien species that needs to be controlled.
Added to the record are Chromolaena odorata or hagonoy, Bidens pilosa or cobbler’s pegs, Mimosa diplotricha or giant sensitive plant, Lantana camara or iring-iring or kantutay, Leucaena leucocephala or byatilis or luyluy, Piper aduncum or matico, and Psidium guajava or guava.
It also included Ziziphus mauritiana or Indian plum, Mikania micrantha or bittervine, Morus alba or white mulberry, and Sphagneticola trilobata or Bay Biscayne Creeping-oxeye.
Montejo added IAS also called "non-indigenous" or "non-native" species adversely affect the habitats and bioregions they invade economically, environmentally, and/or ecologically.
“These are species whose introduction and/or spread outside their natural past or present distribution threaten biodiversity,” he explained.
According to the Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD), IAS is now a global issue that needs international cooperation and action.
In line with this, CBD calls for the control and monitoring of alien species that threaten ecosystem, habitats and species in each and every locality.
No less than 100 species have been listed as invasive based on the International Union for Conservation of Nature - Invasive Species Specialist Group (IUCN-ISSG) category and a matrix on the possible IAS within the country has been already pre-identified by the DENR Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau (ERDB).
“Common characteristics of IAS include rapid reproduction and growth, high dispersal ability, phenotypic plasticity and ability to survive on various food types and in a wide range of environmental conditions which causes enormous damage to biodiversity,” Montejo articulated.
According to the preliminary results, among the 58 species listed in the matrix, sixteen (16) species were verified within the protected area of the Central Cebu Protected Landscape (CCPL) particularly in Barangay Tabunan wherein the remaining second growth indigenous forest is located.
However, those 58 species in the list needs to be verified yet in other areas within CCPL.
Project National Study head Dr. Carmelita Villamor led the inventory with Protected Area Superintendent Regie Bueno and technical staff from the Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau (ERDD) and Protected Area, Wildlife and Coastal Zone Management Services (PAWCZMS).
The Central Cebu Protected Landscape (CCPL) under Republic Act No. 9486 which was approved on June 7, 2007 covers a consolidated area of 28,312 hectares.
The protected area consists of the Buhisan Watershed Forest Reserve, Mananga Watershed Forest Reserve, Sudlon National Park, Central Cebu National Park and the Kotkot-Lusaran Watershed Forest Reserve located in the cities of Cebu, Talisay, Toledo and Danao, and in the municipalities of Minglanilla, Consolacion, Liloan, Compostela, and Balamban.(PIA-7/HFG/DENR-7)
================
Senior citizens in Mandaue City receive P1k financial aid
By Fayette C. Ri�en
CEBU CITY, July 10 (PIA) -- Around 12,000 senior citizens of Mandaue City have received P1,000 financial assistance from the city government. They will receive the same amount in December if funds are available.
“We are planning to increase the financial aid to senior citizens depending on the availability of funds,” said Councilor Jefferson Ceniza, chairman of the committee on social services, adding they are also thinking of increasing the assistance to Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) from P500 to P1,000.
The city will be releasing the balance of P1,000 in December this year.
“Nalipay ko sa akong nadawat dako nig tabang sa among kan-onon (I am happy with what I received as this really is a help for our food),” said Jose Conde, 63, former utility driver from Barangay Maguikay.
Aside from financial assistance, Mayor Jonas Cortes has given the senior citizens a service vehicle, an office and 50 percent discount if hospitalized at the city hospital over and above the 20 percent discount provided by law.
Nedy Sienes of the Office of the Senior Citizens (OSCA) said they conducted house to house visitation to revalidate the beneficiaries. Starting today until Friday the distribution will be held at the respective barangays, specifically at their sports complex or barangay halls.
Sienes said that based on their records there are 14,000 registered senior citizens, but there are 12,000 who were qualified beneficiaries based on their voter’s registration certificate. (PIA-Cebu with Mandaue News Service)