On century-old acacias’ fiasco

DENR says no cutting permit

issued to gas station project

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, April 14, (PIA) – The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) authorities, both at the Provincial (PENR) and Community (CENR) offices did not issue any tree cutting permit for the claimed century-old acacia trees to give way to a gasoline station in Taloto.

However, as the subject acacia trees (raintree) were issued a Certificate of private tree-planting registration (CPTPR), alleged owners of the private lot upon where the rain trees stood, need no tree cutting permit, to clear the site, despite the presence of the century-old trees, DENR authorities explained to the media.

This issue came up, during the press conference organized by the City Government and brought in PENRO Ariel Rica, CENRO Ellen Suarez and City Mayor Jane Yap, who apparently was blamed for the cutting of the trees that caused an uproar among local environmentalists.

According to Mayor Yap, a gasoline station project which Pilipinas Shell applied a building permit for showed a layout that has the old trees in the project’s buffer zone.

Of the 3,100-square meter property consolidated from 5 lots, only 800 square meters has been allocated for the gasoline station development, said Mayor Jae Yap.

They could have pushed on without cutting the trees, former mayor John Geesnell Yap, city administrator shared during the press conference.

During the media encounter, authorities revealed that while the project proponent is Pilipinas Shell, it was Forestview Realty and Development Corporation who applied for CPTPR to the acacia trees.

Forestview Realty and Development Corporation is a realty development and construction company based in Cebu.

As to CENRO Suarez, the PTPR would then certify that the rain trees were planted on a private lot and would allow the owners to cut them and would only need a transport permit, if the owners decide to move the cut trees and its processed lumber to another location.

During the press conference, CENRO Suarez also informed the media that acacia trees, although they have been regulated like dipterocarps, have been deregulated by the DENR since 1992.

DENR Administrative Order No 46, series of 1992, which is the Interim guidelines on the cutting and gathering of narra and premium species by excluding acacia or raintree has delisted the acacia tree from the regulated tree species specified in DENR Administrative Order No 78, series of 1987.

As such, the cutting, gathering and utilization of acacia species, when delisted however is still governed by pertinent rules and regulations, such as when these are on private lots or public lands where according to DAO 200-21, a Private Land Timber Permit or a Special Private Land Timber Permit (PLTP/SPLTP) has to be secured, prior to cutting.

The policy on Private Land Timber Permit/Special Private Land Timber Permit (PLTP/SPLTP) says no person, association or corporation shall cut, gather, transport, dispose or utilize naturally grown trees or parts thereof or planted premium tree species, inside titled private lands unless authorized to do so under a PLTP/SPLTP issued by the Secretary, DENR or his/her authorized representative.

In getting the PLTP, private tree plantation owners need to register the private tree plantation to the nearest CENRO or Implementing PENRO by submitting a certified true copy of original certificate of title (OCT) or Transfer Certificate of Title (TCT) or Tax Declaration.

Then, a GIS generated map of tree plantation would be included in the documents.

It was not established in the press conference whether the owners of the developers also submitted to the CENRO these requirements, before the trees were cut.

Unconfirmed reports surfacing during the press conference bared that the Environmental Compliance Certificate for the project stated that no trees would be cut in the implementation of the project. (PIA-7/Bohol)

ILLEGAL ACTIVITY. Despite claims that the cut century-old acacia trees were deregulated and on a private lot, even the ECC of the project allegedly assures that no trees could be cut during the implementation, without necessary permits, proponents still cut the trees. (PIAbohol)