Foresters seize 203 pieces yakal lumber
By Hazel F. Gloria
CEBU CITY, July 19 (PIA) -- A total of 203 pieces of yakal lumber with a volume of 2,913 board feet and an estimated value of P262,170.00 were seized last July 12, 2012 in Naga City, Cebu by a team of foresters and police officers.
Dr. Isabelo R. Montejo, executive director of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)-7, said “the operator of the seized forest products including the conveyances used will have to undergo administrative adjudication proceedings to determine its culpability to existing forestry laws and regulations and the appropriate criminal cases will be filed.”
“The movement of logs, lumber, plywood, veneer, non-timber forest products and wood-based or non-wood based products or commodities shall be covered with appropriate and original copy of certificates of origin,” Montejo added.
Montejo explained the requirement of providing transport documents covering the said forest commodities becomes very important, not only as a basis for determining the resource drain but also in providing a control mechanism against the unauthorized movement and disposition of contraband forest products.
The confiscated forest products are now at the DENR-CENRO Cebu City for safekeeping.
The team who seized the said lumber included foresters Raul Pasoc, Nolito Lapinig, Lucio Cañete Jr, and police officers Remberto Empeynado, Reginald Galangan, Niel Villaceran, and Renier Noel.
“The DENR is vigorously campaigning against environmental law violators as environmental law enforcement is one of the priority thrusts of DENR Secretary Ramon JP Paje,” Montejo added.
In a related development, Montejo has instructed all DENR 7 field officers to continuously conduct monitoring and apprehension on the illegal movement of forest products within their area of jurisdiction and to coordinate immediately with other law enforcement authorities.
Illegal possession of timber products is a violation of section 77 of Presidential Decree 705 as amended by Executive Order 277 and as renumbered by Republic Act 7161 and Executive Order 23.(DENR 7/RMN/HFG/PIA 7)
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Cebu exporters urged to explore Mindanao as a source of raw materials
By Fayette C. Ri�en
CEBU CITY, July 19 (PIA) -- Exporters of furniture and fashion accessories in Cebu are urged to source their raw materials from Mindanao in a bid to strengthen cooperation and business partnership.
Butuan City Vice Mayor Lemuel Lawrence Hernandez-Fortun who was in Cebu to promote the Mindanao Business Conference (MBC)which was going to be held in Butuan City on August 2 to 4, said their city is especially rich in quality timber and wood which could be used as raw materials in making furniture and fashion accessories for export.
“Cebu is known to be the furniture capital in the country and there are also a lot of exporters here on fashion accessories. As Mindanao, particularly Butuan City, is known for its rich quality of wood and timber, perhaps this is one venue for business networking and see how we could both help and complement each other,” said Fortun during a press conference on the MBC this morning.
Fortun said the MBC is the biggest and official business conference of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry where a large number of delegates are expected to attend that includes business leaders, members of chambers of commerce, government policymakers, investors, and business trading partners.
“This is the first time that the Butuan City will host the event,” said Fortun adding that the MBC is an annual event since 1991.
The MBC is the premier platform for fostering competitiveness and accelerating economic growth in the Mindanao region, and for showcasing its trade and investment opportunities.
The vice mayor said there are three major potential investment areas in Mindanao including in Butuan City namely mining, wood industry, and eco-tourism which they hope to showcase and discuss during the conference.
Fortun called on Cebuano business leaders and investors to participate in the MBC to explore the possibility of business linkages between Mindanao and Cebu.
The MBC is also a point of reference for government policymakers to address any concerns among the business sector representatives on mining, eco-tourism and the wood industry which has been affected by the government’s total log ban. (FCR-PIA7, Cebu)