Logging in Bulacan, Philippines
The Dumagats tribe, a cultural minority group living at the Sierra Madre mountain range, will be tapped to guard the watershed areas of Angat and Ipo dams in Norzagaray town to protect from illegal loggers who have been cutting timbers at the site, causing massive environmental damage in the area.
The Sagip Sierra Madre Environmental Society Inc. (SSMESI), together with the Bulacan Environment and Natural Resources Office (BENRO), on Tuesday proposed the creation of the “Eco Tribal Army.”
The Eco Tribal Army, which will be composed of selected Dumagat tribesmen, will be trained and armed to protect the watershed from illegal loggers who are reportedly being backed-up by a group of heavily armed men while conducting illegal logging operations at the area.
“The watershed area needs guardians because illegal loggers are now armed. The Dumagats tribesmen will also be backed up by members of the Citizen Armed Force Geographical Unit (Cafgu) under the 56th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army while conducting patrol and security bat the watershed,” Bro. Martin Francisco, SSMESI chairman, said.
Francisco said a big part of the Ipo dam watershed have already been denuded due to illegal logging and it should be stopped to prevent further environmental degradation.
Last week, joint teams from BENRO, the National Power Corporation-Angat Watershed Area Team (NPC-AWAT), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), 56th IB of the Philippine Army and the SSMESI seized some 103 pieces of illegally cut timbers within the protected watershed areas in sitios Binibit and Malataeng Kalsada in Barangay San Mateo, Norzagaray town.
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