DAVAO CITY - The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) suspended the cutting of 121 native trees at a Philippine Eagle nesting site and watershed area in Davao City on Thursday.

The tree-cutting in Marilog District was suspended after environmental groups and the city government pushed for the forest's protection.

The Interfacing Development Interventions for Sustainability-Davao (IDIS) organized an online petition last month to stop the cutting of trees at the Mounts Makabol-Alikoson Conservation Area (MMACA). As of December 10, it had almost 5,000 signatures.

IDIS said that the MMACA is a home of the Philippine Eagle, a critically endangered species. It is also home to various vulnerable species of birds and other wildlife endemic to Mindanao. The forest also replenishes the aquifers of the Suawan-Kulafu sub-watershed within the Davao City river basin.

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The Davao City government also wrote a letter to the DENR, stating that the LGU supports the appeals of the Philippine Eagle Foundation and the Sustainable Davao Movement for the cancellation of timber cutting permits in Sitio Falcata, Barangay Salaysay in Marilog.

DENR Davao said the Private Land Timber Permit (PLTP), issued August 18, 2021 to Ling-Ling Wu Lee, covered 121 trees. These were Agoho, Bagtikan, Lauan, Tanguile and Ulian trees.

DENR Davao Regional Executive Director Bagani Fidel Evasco said the issuance was based on the report and recommendation of the Provincial and Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO and CENRO) anchored on ground validation, assessment, timber inventory, and thorough review on the application requirements.

"At the time of PLTP approval, DENR-XI was not aware of any telemetric data pertaining to the nesting trees claimed by PEF inside the contested property," Evasco said in a statement.

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He also said that though cutting naturally-grown trees was allowed, the person responsible had to strictly comply with a tree replacement ratio of 1:100. Lee was expected to plant 12,100 seedlings and a pay forest charges for every cubic meter of timber she harvested.

Lee voluntarily stopped the cutting of trees in the area since Purok Leader Oliver Ancapoy posted about the issue on social media in October.

Atty. Mark Peñalver, executive director of IDIS said they will continue with their calls against the cutting of the trees until the DENR ultimately issued a cease-and-desist order.

- report from Hernel Tocmo

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