Alcoy mulls payment for trees of timber company

CEBU, Philippines - Instead of being cut down, several trees planted in the 231-hectare land owned by a private company in the town of Alcoy can be compensated and eventually be used to promote the town’s eco-tourism.

Alcoy Vice Mayor Antonio Plando, Marian Development Corporation (MDC) which owns the lot, and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) 7 met with Governor Gwendolyn Garcia yesterday to discuss the matter.

As a result, Plando said they have given the company 60 days starting yesterday to stop cutting down the trees that they planted in the lot while the Municipal Government of Alcoy is working to come up with a proposal to present to them.

Juanito Pua, head of the Forest Resources Conservation Division of the DENR-7, said that their national office issued a lease agreement called the Industrial Forest Management Agreement to MDC which allows the company to cut down the trees that they planted.

“They are investors in tree planting and for the purpose of timber production so they are legal,” he said.

MDC’s permit to cut down the Gemilina and Mahogany trees that they planted 25 years ago expired last September 2009. The company has secured the same permit in May 2010.

“Sa pagkakaron, ceasefire una kay nagcome up ta karon og plan to develop the tourism of the town while MDC magpadayon sa ilang business,” Pua said.

Pua said in the same lot, there were sightings of the nearly extinct bird locally known as Siloy and the dipterocarp trees. — (FREEMAN)