Photo courtesy | PNNI

Ni Marie F. Fulgarinas

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY – Sa pagpasok ng taong 2024, tatlong (3) chainsaws ang nakumpiska ng mga para-enforcers ng Palawan NGO Network, Inc. o PNNI sa pinangangalagaang Victoria Anepahan Mountain Range (VAMR) kung saan tumambad naman dito ang mga chop-chop na punongkahoy na diumano’y inuuling ng mga iligalista sa kabundukan.

Ayon sa PNNI, mula sa huling araw ng taong 2023 at pagpasok ng bagong taon, apat (4) na chainsaws ang malayang namumutol ng mga punongkahoy sa nabanggit na kabundukan .

“PNNI paraenforcers were only able to catch three (3) because by the time they came to the fourth, the team was already tired and the loggers were able to abscond,” pahayag ng organisasyon.

Anila, nasa humigit-kumulang sampung (10) ektaryang kagubatan ang kinalbo ng mga iligalista na ginagawang uling at suplay ng mga ‘lumber’ sa mga ginagawang resort cottages sa mga kalapit-lugar.

‘Almost 10 hectares of forests were felled for charcoal and lumber for resort cotteges to an unregulated tourism industry that consumes our remaining forest resources.

Inilahad din ng organisasyon ang ‘shameful enforcement measures’ ng iba’t ibang government agencies dahil ang kalbong lugar ay nasa kalagitnaan umano ng water system ng Pamahalaang Panlalawigan ng Palawan.

“What is disconcerting aside from the shameful enforcement measures of government agencies, is that the area logged was in the middle of a water system established by the Provincial Government.

Aren’t these trees supposed to be protected because they are what’s needed to produce water for the communities of the municipality?

And isn’t the VAMR area being promoted as the next biodiversity hotspot and tourist destination of the province?

It doesn’t make sense to boast about the qualities of the Last Frontier and yet not take care of it,” paglalahad ng grupo.

Samantala, nagpapasalamat ang pamunuan ng PNNI kay Ginoong Anton Romulo ng Strongview makaraang magbigay ng pondo si Romulo para sa operasyon ng ahensya.

“The team has dedicated the capture of these 3 chainsaws in his honor. By his generosity the forests of VAMR are safe. Salamat po,” pahayag ng Palawan NGO Network Inc.