MALAYBALAY CITY (BukidnonNews.Net/18 April 2024) The city government has reported a total of 54 forest fire incidents from February 2 to April 15 – burning a total of 539 hectares of tree plantations in the city, an official said.
On average, 7.28 hectares of trees burn daily in the city during the period.
The City Environment and Natural Resources Office attributed 98 percent of the incidents to “human causes” or man-made, said Dr. Jessie Suson, Chief of the City ENRO, in an interview with Bukidnon State University’s Share to Heal Program on DXBU 104.5 FM on April 17. She, however, noted that heat contributed or triggered the spread of the fire.
Suson said authorities have not yet caught the perpetrators of the open burning incidents but noted on-going investigations. City ENRO said the forest fires are concentrated in the Poblacion area and identified five of the city’s 46 barangays as hotspots: Patpat, Kalasungay, Canayan, Casisang, and Brgy. 1. About 95% of affected areas belonged to ancestral domain areas, she said.
She cited that though the burned area is only 4% of the 12,000 hectares of forest land, covering four of the five hotspot barangays, the effect of burning one tree is lifetime.
”It takes years for a tree to provide benefit. Each tree saved has an impact on the entire eco-system,” she told the radio program. She said the trees burned ranged from five to 32 years old.
The city has a total of 71,328.52 hectares of forest land. But she said the city only has 62 forest fighters.
”They cannot do it alone. We need the barangay local government units. We need the indigenous people communities to work on this together,” she added.
She noted that the city government considers forest protection as a priority. Starting 2022, the city government hired the forest fighters from January to December, an improvement from previous practice when they were hired only in the first half of the year. She also noted the annual contribution of P1.5 million of the city government to the Protected Area Management Board to support the Kitanglad Guard Volunteers (KGVs).
Suson called for the collective spirit of the people of the city to help stop the burning. She cited that intentional fire incidents happen two-three times a week citing the case in a barangay where 140 hectares of pine tree plantations were burned.
Sabangan, a popular camp site, located in fire hotspot Brgy Canayan, experienced burning for three times. She said a total of 100 hectares in the area have been “intentionally lit”.
Suson said it will take 10 to 20 years for the tree to recover, it will take at least 10 years for nature to restore itself.
The city government, Suson said, is working with other stakeholders to address the issue.
She noted that they are coordinating with the Armed Forces of the Philippines for possible fire suppression support.
City Councilor Alann Ryan Legaspi, Chair of the Committee on Environment, who has been providing updates about the incidents have shared his call for an end to the forest fires. He also called for the people to be vigilant against perpetrators of forest fires.
”Efforts for reforestation are costly. All of it will be undone. Ma quits ra (it will all be put to waste), he said in a message to BukidnonNews.Net. Legaspi said he has filed a resolution prohibiting ayuda (assistance) from the City Agriculture Office for those in areas which experienced forest fires.
Suson said they have factored in the forest areas under the ancestral domains, in its preparation of the Forest Land Use Plan. She noted that 84% of the city’s forest lands are under Certificate of Ancestral Domain Titles/Claims (CADTs/CADCs). The plan, she said has already been presented to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources – 10 office, and will be presented to City Development Council next month, so that it can be incorporated in the City Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP).
”Including only the 16 percent forest lands outside of ancestral domains in the plan, there is no meaning on it,” she added.
She said last year the city also trained the volunteer forest guards of the tribes to help suppress fires.
Suson cited the strong resolve of the current mayor, Atty. Jay Warren R. Pabillaran, a member of the IP community, who encouraged to work closely with the indigenous peoples.
One of the tribal leaders of the tribal communities in the hotspot areas vowed support for the city government’s on-going investigation of the forest fires. Atty. Burt Estrada, tribal leader of the Bukidnon Tagolwanen, confirmed that they have been working closely with the City ENRO “on many fronts”.
“As it is our domain and our plantations we have the primary duty and interest to protect our domain – our forest and plantations,” he said via online messages in response to a query by BukidnonNews.Net. He cited that the fires have also damaged their bamboo plantations (see related story).
He told BukidnonNews.Net Thursday that he has requested from City ENRO and the City Council Chair of the Committee on the Environment for a list of the people who are occupying and/or cultivating in and around these areas.
He said they commit to work with the LGU to exact accountability to those (that) have damaged their forests and plantations.
“More importantly (to) minimize or prevent this damaging events in the future by demonstrating that there is the possibility and certainty of prosecution if you violate environmental and other laws,” he said.
But Estrada said they need government agencies to be the lead in bringing justice for everyone affected.
”We will do our part if needed to file complaints as CADT holders and owners of the (damaged) plantations and as stewards of our forests and environment for all peoples and generations,” he added. (Contributed by Walter I. Balane, Faculty, Development Communication Department, Bukidnon State University)