PROVINCIAL ANTI-ILLEGAL LOGGING TASK FORCE - Province of Catanduanes
FOREST PROTECTION PLAN
One of the national issues that the government is facing nowadays is about the alarming rate of forest destruction brought by human intercession such as illegal cutting activities, slash-and-burn cultivation scheme and other forms of natural resources abuse. To address the pressing situation, the DENR-CENRO Virac intensified the campaign to curb illegal forestry activities through collaborative effort with other Law Enforcement Agencies particularly the Local Government Unit, the Philippine National Police, the Philippine Army and the Philippine Coast Guard to be able to protect and maintain the existing forest resources of the province for the benefit of future generations and to combat the effects of global warming and climate change.
Last February 2011, President Benigno S. Aquino III issued an Executive Order No. 23, Declaring a Moratorium on the Cutting and Harvesting of Timber in the Natural and Residual Forests and Creating the Anti Illegal Logging Task Force. Under Sec. 3, the Task Force shall be composed of the DENR as Chairman and the members shall be composed of DILG, DND, PNP, P.A. However the Task Force may call upon the support of any department, bureaus and office of the executive branch to assist in the discharged of its function. At present other agencies and entities are now members of the Provincial Anti Illegal Logging Task Force, which includes DOJ, ENRO of the Provincial Government, representative from media, PIA, Coast Guard and Academe.
To come up with the workable purposes, this integrated plan will be the basis of the Provincial Anti-illegal Task Force for implementation by the year 2012. The dynamic approach to successfully achieve the goals and objectives will be discussed for realization of effective strategies in complementary to the existing Forestry Laws
Last February 2011, President Benigno S. Aquino III issued an Executive Order No. 23, Declaring a Moratorium on the Cutting and Harvesting of Timber in the Natural and Residual Forests and Creating the Anti Illegal Logging Task Force. Under Sec. 3, the Task Force shall be composed of the DENR as Chairman and the members shall be composed of DILG, DND, PNP, P.A. However the Task Force may call upon the support of any department, bureaus and office of the executive branch to assist in the discharged of its function. At present other agencies and entities are now members of the Provincial Anti Illegal Logging Task Force, which includes DOJ, ENRO of the Provincial Government, representative from media, PIA, Coast Guard and Academe.
To come up with the workable purposes, this integrated plan will be the basis of the Provincial Anti-illegal Task Force for implementation by the year 2012. The dynamic approach to successfully achieve the goals and objectives will be discussed for realization of effective strategies in complementary to the existing Forestry Laws
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Out of the Province’ total land area (151,150 hectares) 46 percent (69,770 hectares) is classified as forests land. The remaining Dipterocarp Old Growth and Residual Forests covers a total area of about 37,868 hectares and the rests of 31,902 hectares are under extensive/intensive land uses.
OBJECTIVE
Generally this plan aims to implement proper forest protection scheme to curb illegal forestry activities in the province in combating the effects of global warming and climate change.
The specific objectives are:
- Strengthening the linkages to other Law Enforcement agencies and mobilization of public information unit/intelligence, forest protection group at the municipal and barangay level.
- Identification/neutralization/patrolling of all hotspot areas in the province with proper coordination to the concerned Local Government Officials.
- Continuous monitoring and evaluation of all the implemented strategies for impact assessment.
- Possible involvement of all concerned citizens in the formulation of the management strategies to achieve the highest level of its implementation.
Provincial Anti-Illegal Logging Task Force Resolution # 2011-01
RESOLUTION NO. CAT-2011-01 CREATING THE ANTI-ILLEGAL LOGGING TASK FORCE IN THE PROVINCE OF CATANDUANES AND SETTING KEY ROLES OF ITS MEMBERS
WHEREAS, Executive Order No. 2011-23 sets a moratorium on the cutting of trees in the natural and residual forest and provides for the creation of Task Force to implement such dictate;
WHEREAS, In the implementation of Executive Order No. 2011-23, the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer of DENR Catanduanes, as the Provincial Chair of the Task Force, convened the original members of the Provincial Task Force (PTF), as embodied in the National Task Force Resolution No. 2011-23;
WHEREAS, seeing the imperative to include other agencies in addition to the original members to address Catanduanes province’ peculiar challenge of assuring ecological balance while maintaining peace and order across DENR’s broad area of responsibility, the Provincial Chairman and original members have decided to form and activate an expanded Provincial Anti-Illegal Logging Task Force, to be composed further of investigative, prosecutorial and regulatory agencies, ie., PCG, PMC, and DOJ;
WHEREFORE, foregoing premises considered, be it resolved as it is hereby resolved that the Expanded Provincial Anti-Illegal Logging Task Force in Catanduanes Province be created to be composed of the following: Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer of DENR Catanduanes as Chairman; Provincial Director of DILG as Vice-Chairman; and the PNP Director, the Army Battalion Commander, the Chief Commander of the Coast Guard, the Chief Commander of the Maritime Command, and the Provincial Prosecutor, as members.
WHEREAS, In the implementation of Executive Order No. 2011-23, the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer of DENR Catanduanes, as the Provincial Chair of the Task Force, convened the original members of the Provincial Task Force (PTF), as embodied in the National Task Force Resolution No. 2011-23;
WHEREAS, seeing the imperative to include other agencies in addition to the original members to address Catanduanes province’ peculiar challenge of assuring ecological balance while maintaining peace and order across DENR’s broad area of responsibility, the Provincial Chairman and original members have decided to form and activate an expanded Provincial Anti-Illegal Logging Task Force, to be composed further of investigative, prosecutorial and regulatory agencies, ie., PCG, PMC, and DOJ;
WHEREFORE, foregoing premises considered, be it resolved as it is hereby resolved that the Expanded Provincial Anti-Illegal Logging Task Force in Catanduanes Province be created to be composed of the following: Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer of DENR Catanduanes as Chairman; Provincial Director of DILG as Vice-Chairman; and the PNP Director, the Army Battalion Commander, the Chief Commander of the Coast Guard, the Chief Commander of the Maritime Command, and the Provincial Prosecutor, as members.