Don't blame us, says former logger
Don't blame us, says former logger
Updated 11:42pm (Mla time) Dec 26, 2004
By Neal Cruz
Inquirer News Service
Editor's Note: Published on page A14 of the December 27, 2004 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer.
LAST Dec. 8, in the wake of the floods and landslides that wiped out entire villages and killed hundreds of people in Aurora, Quezon and Nueva Ecija, I wrote a column advocating a total log ban. In the course of the discussion, I mentioned some prominent logging families in Mindanao who are now among the super-rich with family members in Congress, who, in the last analysis, will be the ones to craft and pass a total log ban bill. Among the families mentioned were the Plazas of Agusan.
Before Christmas, we received a letter from a member of the Plaza family, Rodolfo G. Plaza, reacting to that column. In brief, he was washing the hands of the Plaza family for the denudation of Mindanao's forests.
"The loggers of the '50s and '60s," (to which the Plaza family belonged) "is different from today's loggers," he said. Meaning to say, "Don't blame us, the old loggers. Blame the new loggers." He said they cut only mature trees and hired forest guards to protect the forests-what's left of them anyway.
It's the old song and dance and game of "finger-pointing." "Who, me? I didn't do nothing. They did." Loggers, old and new, point to the kaingineros, the latter point to the charcoal-makers, and the last point to Mother Nature.
But in the interest of fair play, let us read Mr. Plaza's letter in toto. Here's his letter, after which I have a few more comments:
"I read with interest Neal Cruz's column titled 'Stop the debate, ban all logging' (PDI, 12/8/04) and as a member of one of the logging families he identified, I felt it my duty to the public to disclose circumstances that Cruz apparently is not aware of, but would be able to share with other unenlightened individuals-for a clearer, more accurate perspective.
"Let the axe fall where it may but for the information of Cruz and the reading public, logging as an economic activity in the '50s and '60s was a totally different business from what it has become in the last two decades. Back then, logging was a major source of RP's dollar earnings. The Plaza family was engaged only in the exportation of timber to foreign markets which dictated certain standards for the same. This means that we only cut trees of really huge diameters. In fact, we had these forest lands guarded to discourage indiscriminate logging and incursions by rural folk who troop to the forest for their immediate needs.
"The Philippine government during that time did not and never required loggers to reforest. There was no law to that effect. Instead, under Forest Administration Order No. 64, we were required to pay the government certain amounts so that the Department of Environment and Natural Resources of old will have the funds to reforest or replant trees; and we did pay our dues. Plus, we also replanted and allowed to grow trees that are not of export quality.
"When the Plaza family sold its logging concession in 1976, it was a well-known fact in the province that the forest lands we harvested timber from were not bald. We should not be held accountable if, because of the absence of forest guards, 'kaingineros' or indiscriminate loggers and nomadic forest dwellers suddenly had a field day after we left the logging business.
"Loggers in the '50s and '60s are much like the OFWs of today who are hailed as heroes for keeping our dollar reserves well-stashed. While it is not our intent to be remembered as one-time heroes of the Philippine economy, we do believe some perspective by well-meaning individuals as
Cruz is due us.
"At a time in our history when Mindanao was neglected by the central government, we, Mindanaoans, showed self-reliance and even contributed to the national economy. Now, we are being blamed for our industry, out of which the whole population benefited.
"I am not ashamed to be a member of a logging family-because our old business operated under a legal and transparent framework, in compliance with all existing laws then. Thus, I appeal to the sense of fairness and wisdom of all. If we are to truly hunt down the enemies of the environment, let us be prudent in this mission. Let us probe the status of those reforestation funds paid to the environment/forestry officials in the '60s and '70s. The accumulated amount overtime has amounted to hundreds of millions and even today, the amount can be considered staggering. Let us send inspection teams to areas held by the few remaining timber license holders and check how these forested areas are doing; and let us compare these with areas under canceled Timber License Agreements which should be well-preserved. Rather than finger-pointing the 'usual suspects' who are visible, we may be able to find relief in considering 'invisible forces' for a change."
As the saying goes, the proof of the pudding is in the eating. If the loggers of the '50s and '60s were really that good, why are the mountains of Mindanao bald? Not only of Mindanao but every mountain that had been subject of a logging concession?
The concessionaires blame the kaingineros who come after them. But isn't it the loggers who cut roads through the forest, through which the kaingineros gain access to the logged-over areas that they burn and cultivate? No roads, no kaingineros, right?
Updated 11:42pm (Mla time) Dec 26, 2004
By Neal Cruz
Inquirer News Service
Editor's Note: Published on page A14 of the December 27, 2004 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer.
LAST Dec. 8, in the wake of the floods and landslides that wiped out entire villages and killed hundreds of people in Aurora, Quezon and Nueva Ecija, I wrote a column advocating a total log ban. In the course of the discussion, I mentioned some prominent logging families in Mindanao who are now among the super-rich with family members in Congress, who, in the last analysis, will be the ones to craft and pass a total log ban bill. Among the families mentioned were the Plazas of Agusan.
Before Christmas, we received a letter from a member of the Plaza family, Rodolfo G. Plaza, reacting to that column. In brief, he was washing the hands of the Plaza family for the denudation of Mindanao's forests.
"The loggers of the '50s and '60s," (to which the Plaza family belonged) "is different from today's loggers," he said. Meaning to say, "Don't blame us, the old loggers. Blame the new loggers." He said they cut only mature trees and hired forest guards to protect the forests-what's left of them anyway.
It's the old song and dance and game of "finger-pointing." "Who, me? I didn't do nothing. They did." Loggers, old and new, point to the kaingineros, the latter point to the charcoal-makers, and the last point to Mother Nature.
But in the interest of fair play, let us read Mr. Plaza's letter in toto. Here's his letter, after which I have a few more comments:
"I read with interest Neal Cruz's column titled 'Stop the debate, ban all logging' (PDI, 12/8/04) and as a member of one of the logging families he identified, I felt it my duty to the public to disclose circumstances that Cruz apparently is not aware of, but would be able to share with other unenlightened individuals-for a clearer, more accurate perspective.
"Let the axe fall where it may but for the information of Cruz and the reading public, logging as an economic activity in the '50s and '60s was a totally different business from what it has become in the last two decades. Back then, logging was a major source of RP's dollar earnings. The Plaza family was engaged only in the exportation of timber to foreign markets which dictated certain standards for the same. This means that we only cut trees of really huge diameters. In fact, we had these forest lands guarded to discourage indiscriminate logging and incursions by rural folk who troop to the forest for their immediate needs.
"The Philippine government during that time did not and never required loggers to reforest. There was no law to that effect. Instead, under Forest Administration Order No. 64, we were required to pay the government certain amounts so that the Department of Environment and Natural Resources of old will have the funds to reforest or replant trees; and we did pay our dues. Plus, we also replanted and allowed to grow trees that are not of export quality.
"When the Plaza family sold its logging concession in 1976, it was a well-known fact in the province that the forest lands we harvested timber from were not bald. We should not be held accountable if, because of the absence of forest guards, 'kaingineros' or indiscriminate loggers and nomadic forest dwellers suddenly had a field day after we left the logging business.
"Loggers in the '50s and '60s are much like the OFWs of today who are hailed as heroes for keeping our dollar reserves well-stashed. While it is not our intent to be remembered as one-time heroes of the Philippine economy, we do believe some perspective by well-meaning individuals as
Cruz is due us.
"At a time in our history when Mindanao was neglected by the central government, we, Mindanaoans, showed self-reliance and even contributed to the national economy. Now, we are being blamed for our industry, out of which the whole population benefited.
"I am not ashamed to be a member of a logging family-because our old business operated under a legal and transparent framework, in compliance with all existing laws then. Thus, I appeal to the sense of fairness and wisdom of all. If we are to truly hunt down the enemies of the environment, let us be prudent in this mission. Let us probe the status of those reforestation funds paid to the environment/forestry officials in the '60s and '70s. The accumulated amount overtime has amounted to hundreds of millions and even today, the amount can be considered staggering. Let us send inspection teams to areas held by the few remaining timber license holders and check how these forested areas are doing; and let us compare these with areas under canceled Timber License Agreements which should be well-preserved. Rather than finger-pointing the 'usual suspects' who are visible, we may be able to find relief in considering 'invisible forces' for a change."
As the saying goes, the proof of the pudding is in the eating. If the loggers of the '50s and '60s were really that good, why are the mountains of Mindanao bald? Not only of Mindanao but every mountain that had been subject of a logging concession?
The concessionaires blame the kaingineros who come after them. But isn't it the loggers who cut roads through the forest, through which the kaingineros gain access to the logged-over areas that they burn and cultivate? No roads, no kaingineros, right?
posted by Dante at 1:13 PM
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