The Hindu : International : Philippines bans logging

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Dec 08, 2004

International

International

Philippines bans logging

Manila: The Philippines President, Gloria Arroyo, has banned logging in the Philippines after rampant deforestation was blamed for much of the devastation caused by four recent storms that have left more than 1,300 persons dead or missing. Likening illegal loggers to terrorists, drug traffickers and kidnappers, Ms Arroyo called for harsher penalties for anyone convicted of environmental destruction in several eastern provinces. Environmentalists welcomed the move on Monday, but said the ban was not enough to prevent similar disasters. They called for a big tree-planting campaign and a concerted fight against the corruption that underpins much of the deforestation. It is estimated that less than 6 per cent of the 21 million hectares of forest that existed a century ago still remains intact in the country. Sam Lawson of the London-based Environmental Investigation Agency said forest destruction in the Philippines was ``a lost cause'' unless radical action was taken.

- Guardian Newspapers Limited 2004

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