Cebu City eyes "communal forest"

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City Government is eyeing some 150 hectares of timberland in the city’s mountain barangays for a communal forest.

Councilor Nida Cabrera, chairman of the council’s committee on environment, said they will meet with the representatives of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR7) on Monday to discuss their proposal.

DENR will help them determine if the 150 hectare-lot is feasible for a communal forest. The lot is identified as timberland. It is found in the mountain barangays of Buhisan, Toong and its adjacent barangays.

Cabrera said that the purpose of the communal forest is for the different tree growing activities of the different sectors in the city.

The City Council last July passed an ordinance mandating all establishments to submit their environment sustainability plan as part of the requirements in applying for a business permit. The ordinance shall apply two years after its passage.

Based on the survey that Cabrera’s office has conducted, most of the establishments have committed to planting trees to contribute to the global effort in combating the ill effects of climate change.

Cabrera said that since most of the establishments want to plant trees for environment sustainability, the city might as well establish a communal forest where all efforts to restore the natural biodiversity of forests will be rationalized.

“So if they want to plant trees, we will refer them to the communal forest. Ang nahitabo man gud karon, lain-lain nga lugar,” Cabrera said.

Through the communal forest, all sectors will be able to monitor their project.

Cabrera said that it is time to put passion in planting trees. Instead of merely planting seedlings, she said that they should grow these tree seedlings, which would mean extra efforts to monitor the growth of the seedlings that were planted.

Cabrera is now drafting an ordinance that will give incentives to private sectors that contribute to environmental preservation.

A communal forest is a tract of forest land set aside by the DENR for the use of the residents of a municipality or city.

The community may then make use of the forest products for their use but harvesting of resources must be in accordance with the laws and regulations and sustainable development. The communal forests of each LGU must not exceed 5,000 hectares. (FREEMAN)