Tomorrow, February 6, 2017, is an important day for environmentalist with the meeting of the  convergence committee directed by Philippine President Rody Duterte to formulate the guidelines regarding the total log ban.  The committee is tasked to design programs to reforest denuded forests. The three Departments to compose the committee are the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Interior and Local Government.

The need for a total log ban is evident because of the massive flooding that have affected the major river basins in the island of Mindanao. One recent example is the massive flooding in Cagayan de Oro City, which was what is called urban flooding due to poor drainage system but this was exacerbated by the rush of rainwater from nearby denuded mountains.

In Nueva Ecija, another province in Luzon island, the government has seen that denuded forests due to logging has led not only to flooding but to increase in the heat index.  The government has imposed a logging moratorium in Nueva Ecija but illegal loggers continue to violate this and degrade the forests. The problem in Nueva Ecija for example is that they have many exits and entrances so loggers are able to bring the logs out. 

Actually, the President ordered his Cabinet to study the matter in order to protect the country's watershed during the Change Commission's meeting last week.  They discussed why it was that several companies could still get licenses or permits to cut down trees inspite of a total log ban that is in place. Supposedly there should be an indefinite countrywide logging ban with no exemptions according to an Executive Order signed by the former Philippine President Aquino. This would address the problems of forest denudation in the country. Until we find out what the committee will agree on tomorrow, we know that the President has given the DENR Secretary full authority to prohibit illegal logging in the nation.