BAGUIO CITY – Guidelines had been prescribed on the management of logs, lumber and firewood cut and retrieved by the City Environment and Parks Management Office.
In Executive Order No. 153 series of 2019, Mayor Benjamin Magalong said there is a need to spell out the rules and regulations to complement those stipulated under Section 253, Article 37 of Ordinance No. 18-2016 (Environment Code of Baguio City).
The said section provides that “All felled logs and cut firewood with permits issued by the City Mayor within public lands, parks and forest, except those cut logs issued by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources shall be used by the City Government of Baguio. These felled logs and firewood shall be deposited at the City Forest Nursery of the City Environment and Parks Management Office or area designated by the same office. These logs and firewood shall only be used for city or barangay projects in a manner prescribed by the City Environment and Parks Management Office.”
Section 254 of the said ordinance also provides that “An applicant who uses the felled logs and cut firewood shall as stated in this Code should pay the corresponding cost estimated by the City Environment and Management Office and/or City Forest Officers. Payment should be made at the City Treasury Office after an order of payment had been issued by the (CEPMO).”
The guidelines will cover those retrieved from the CEPMO’s implementation of the tree management and improvement program where dead and dangerous trees, dead and/or live infested trees are cut and undesirable branches of live trees within road-right-of-ways, city parks and other forest reservations are trimmed.
These logs and branches retrieved are converted into good lumbers for office furniture and fixtures, landscaping materials in the parks, and the rest for firewood purposes, all of which are deposited at the Diplomat Heritage Hill.
The mayor’s executive order will apply to the following requests
All city government offices without the capacity and appropriations intended for furniture and landscaping fixtures; victims of calamities like typhoons, landslide and earthquakes needing wood resources; poor and less fortunate needing wood for coffin and firewood during vigil and burial of departed love ones;
Public schools needing construction materials to improve their classrooms and school facilities; different barangays to support projects which have no funds or appropriations from either the local or national government; the applicant granted permit to cut tree/s within public lands and other forest reservations for firewood or lumber; and private individuals who are requesting firewood for wedding ceremonies.
The City Mayor may grant requests for wood materials to the city offices, schools and barangays subject to submission of the following documents: letter request; certification of non-availability of funds from concerned office or agency; bill of Materials estimated by CBAO; sketch or design of proposed project; validation, clearance and/or recommendation from the Forest and Watershed Management Division of CEPMO; and approval of the mayor or CEPM Officer.
Requests from private individuals may also be granted with the following requirements: letter request addressed to the City Mayor or CEPM Officer; certification from City Social Welfare Office for calamity victims; certification from the CSWO or Punong Barangay for indigents, less fortunate and the needy; validation, clearance and/or recommendation from the WAMD; and approval of the City Mayor or CEPM Officer.
A minimal fee shall be collected to be paid at the City Treasury Office except for city offices, barangays and victims of calamities: good lumber regardless of length and width — P 45.00/board foot; lumber with defects (cracks, partially rotten) P30/board foot; and firewood (logs which are not suitable for lumber/branches) — P400/cubic meter; felled logs suitable for lumber cut with permit issued by the City Mayor to individuals within public lands — P18/board foot; felled logs and branches suitable for firewood cut with permit issued by the City Mayor to individuals within Public Lands — P400/cubic meter; and aside from the fees, the applicant is also responsible in the felling of the subject tree/s and slicing logs into desired lumber./Aileen P. Refuerzo
