Corruption blamed for deforestationTags: philippines corruption enforcement government
Manila, Philippines - Environment Secretary Lito Atienza admitted on Thursday that corrupt environment personnel were behind the massive deforestation in the country, a practice that should be stopped to slow down climate change.
'The reasons for the degradation of forests are corruption and our own shortcomings,' Atienza said in his New Year message to officials of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
'We need effective good governance,' he added. 'Let's have a department that is corruption-free and transparent.'
The country's forest cover has been whittled down to less than 10 million hectares from 21 million hectares in 1900 due to massive logging.
Experts agreed that climate change could be slowed down by reducing carbon emissions and producing oxygen. The second can be accomplished by forests and trees.
After his speech, Atienza admitted to reporters that permits had been issued to logging concessionaires for a fee so they could log timber even in forest areas not allowed by law.
'I can't say that we're 100-percent bribery-proof, but we'll be sensitive on corruption, bribery and illegal attaining of special privileges from the DENR as we'd like to protect every inch of our motherland,' he said.
The DENR chief indicated he would crack the whip on officers found accepting bribes in exchange for logging permits.
'We will definitely not allow anyone to get any special privilege from the DENR. We will make sure that our existing forest cover is not only protected, but even improved,' he said.
'If we can make our agency corruption-free and the dealings transparent, then we will succeed [in mitigating climate change].'
Atienza also exhorted companies to start dealing with the DENR with transparency from now on.
'They will realize that the DENR, when they deal with us, they'll be dealing with us in the most transparent manner,' he said. 'They will have to follow the law. They can't try to pull a fast one.'
In his New Year's message, Atienza directed his undersecretaries and assistant secretaries, and the regional directors to step up efforts in protecting the forests, mineral and marine resources, and slow down climate change.
'All we need to do is enforce the law to the letter. Through the enforcement of the laws, our forests will be protected. If we allow the illegal activities to continue, we will suffer,' he said in his speech.
Atienza also urged regional and provincial directors to make tree-planting a regular activity.
'Planting trees should be part of our regular schedule. We should encourage the local government units to keep on planting trees,' he said.
© Inquirer (Philippines) -- 2008-01-03
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