Illegal forest operations threaten Angat dam

ANGELES CITY — A team from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has reported that illegal forest operations continue to threaten the Angat dam which supplies the bulk of potable water supply of Metro Manila folk.

An investigation and monitoring team of the DENR has found evidences of so-called "kaingin" activities in the vast watershed of Angat in Norzagaray, Bulacan and that "rights" to some of such areas are being sold.

These were reported by the DENR investigating team composed of Roger Encarnacion, Rodolfo Abrazaldo, Donaver Guevarra and Isagani Navalta who were tasked recently to monitor "kaingin" activities for charcoal-making along Bulacan’s watershed areas.

A report submitted to Nelson Gorospe, provincial environment and natural resources officer of Bulacan identified a certain Doron as allegedly "buying and selling rights" over areas at the Angat water reservoir and other watershed areas in Bulacan.

The report also identified a certain Balasbas of Sitio Ilas, Barangay San Isidro in San Jose del Monte City as the "caretaker" of the lands claimed by Doron.

The team discovered some 325 board feet of lumber flitches hidden in rocks and grasses along the road of Sitio Lobog, San Isidro, San Jose del Monte City, Bulacan. The lumber were confiscated and transported to the DENR monitoring station in Barangay Matictic in Norzagaray.

The report also noted "a newly graded earth road from Rodriguez (formerly Montalban), Rizal which has reached and encroached into the watershed area of Norzagaray, Bulacan."

"The newly graded road indicates the increased incidence of kaingin or charcoal-making activities of the residents in the area," the report added.

The DENR investigating team also noted that "kaingin and charcoal-making" activities are now becoming rampant within the forest area of Rodriguez,Rizal and has already reached the watershed area of Norzagaray, Bulacan.

The team likewise reported that they suspect that residents of Rodriguez, Rizal are the ones engaged in kaingin and charcoal-making in Bulacan’s watershed areas.

The DENR team recommended closer tie-up with the DENR in Rizal to counter such illegal forest operations.

It also recommended the "release of additional funds " to sustain forest protection activities" as well as more support from the Manila Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) in forest protection, as it pointed out that the latter is "co-manager in the management of the Angat Pilot Forest Reservation."