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LEGAZPI CITY: The Provincial Board of Albay is
pushing for an ordinance that would declare a total log ban
throughout the province.
Provincial board member Ramon
Alsua, chairman of the committee on agriculture, said he already
prepared the corresponding legislative measure penalizing the
cutting of trees, particularly coconut trees.
“This measure aims to eradicate
the rampant illegal cutting of trees, especially coconut, beyond the
required numbers stated in the permit to cut clearance given by the
Philippine Coconut Authority [PCA],” he said.
“I already called the attention
of the PCA to resolve the rampant operation of illegal cutting of
coconut trees but the concerned agencies is soft in implementing the
law and I told them that they are issuing permit to cut even in
areas not affected by the typhoon,” Alsua added.
Alsua disclosed that four units
of trucks loaded with more than two hundred coconut logs each are
being transported to Manila each day, wherein, these logs came from
various towns in the third district of Albay.
It was also disclosed that
barangay officials of Guinobatan and other towns in said district
cited the same complaints of illegal cutting of coconut trees in
their respective areas, Alsua pointed out.
On the clamor of villagers there,
Alsua said he will invite the President of the coconut farmers and
the Cocofed for a consultation meeting at the soonest possible time,
to take up measures to prevent the widespread cutting of coconut
trees.
Besides the proposal to impose a
total log ban, an ordinance is being contemplated regarding the
entry of illegal logs coming from neighboring provinces that would
no longer be permitted to pass by the province, he said.
--PNA
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