Forestry in the news

Media

Part of Forestry Leaves

Title: Forestry in the news
Language: English
Year: 1954
Rights
Fulltext: • DELEGATION TO MAHOGANY CONVENTION OPPOSES MOVE TO CURB PI LOG EXPORTS Gaudencio E. Antonino, Philippine delegate to the annual meeting of the Philippine Mahogany association at Portsmouth, New Hampshire recently, reported that the two-man Philippine delegation favored an upward revision of the grading rules for Philippine mahogany manufactured in Japan but opposed any move, if there should be any, to curtail the exportation of the Philippine logs. "On the contrary," Antonino said, ''we should open additional markets if the Philippine lumber industry is to survive." Antonino, president and general manager of Western Mindanao Lumber company, and Nicolas Capistrano Jr., president and general manager of Misamis Lumber company, represented the Philippine Lum.er Producers' association at the New Hampshire conference. Antonino explained that the higher the mahogany association fixes the grades for Philippine mahogany coming from Japan, the better it would be for the Philippine lumber industry. He cited bis reasons as follows: 1. ''The quality of Philippine mahogany exported from Japan will be excellent and distribution in the United States will therefore be a boost to the good name of Philippine mahogany. 2. "Prices of Philippine mahogany from Japan will have to be higher than present prices and may not therefore be able to disturb our present price levels in the United States. 3. ''Philippine mahogany from Japan will at least temporarily fill the voids created in the market due to the increased demands which cannot be supplied by the Philippines." Antonino 11&id he and Capistrano appealed to the members of the mahogany association "not to limit the distribution of Philippine mahogany to the aristocrats (wealthy class), to the exclusion of our No. 2 and No. 3 common" grade of lumber. Antonino said: "We explained (before the mahogany association meeting) our problem of marketing locally our lower grades if we have to go to extensive lumber manufacturing, and unless they (the mahogany association) can buy our low grade lumber, together with the higher grades, it will not be profitable for us to cut more lumber ... Our local market can only accommodate so much quantity at reasonable prices, and any tendency to increase the local supply tends to wreck our local prices. The individual members of the Philippine Mahogany association were sympathetic to our problems and many December, 1954 • of them have promised to exert more efforts in selling our lower grade lumber." Antonino said Capistrano had told the mahogany convention that if the members of the mahogany association wanted more lumber from the Philippines, "they should help us (1) in our request for a reduction of the freight rate, ( 2) buy more of our lower grade lumber and ( 3) pay us higher prices." Antonino said the mahogany association thought of revising the grading rules because the first shipment of Philippine lumber from Japan was very poorly graded and most of the importers were not only disappointed but disgusted. He reported that tests on apitong conducted by the Timber Engineering company at the request of the mahogany association showed that apitong could be used for structural members, truck bodies, shipbuilding, rolling stock, flooring, tanks and baths for acid and alkaline solution. "Apitong, therefore, according to the result of the tests, bas a great prospect in the American market," he said. He said the subject of freight rates for lumber from the Philippines to the United States was not officially taken up during the convention but appeals bad been made with the members of the mahogany association to help the local lumber association make representatio.ns for the reduction of the freight rate. -Manila Daily Bulletin, Aug. 13, 1954 • * • LUMBER RATE CUT REJECTED The Associated Steamship Lines bas denied the request of the Philippine Lumber Producers' association to reduce further the freight rate on Philippine lumber shipped to the United ·states. Commerce Secretary Oscar Ledesma, chairman of the Philippine maritime committee, was told by A. S. L. representatives at a hearing over the weekend that the freight rate of Japanese lumber is lower than that of local lumber moving to the United States because of "special factors" in Japan. One factor that the A. S. L. representatives said was the cut-throat competition prevailing in Japan. Japanese shipping lines and the Isbrandtsen ~m pany charge rates even lower than cost, the A.S.L. men said. The fact that not all participants in the shipping conference are carrying lumber from Japan to the United States led the A.S.L. to deny the request of the Filipino lumbermen, and to continue the present emergency rates for a longer period, a commerce department release said. An aggressive foreign trade policy, involving even indirect subsidies, was given as one of the reasons Page 63 why Japanese vesesls have been able to carry lumber from Japan to the United States even below c:ost. It was cited at the hearing that the Philippines had better equipment for the processing of lumbet than Japan but that cheap labor in Japan as well as subsidies offset the advantage of the PhilippinP rumber industry. The local shipping combine felt that the proble111 posed by the presP.nt situation was how to sa"Ve the American market for Philippine lumber, it wa.pointad out. Agriculture Secretary Salvador Araneta said he was contemplating to recommend the banning of log exportation to Japan only to such quantities as are needed by Japan in order to prevent the Japanese from processing the log to lumber and then sell them to the United States in competition with Philippine-sawn lumber. Ledesma told the Filipino lumber association to make a study of how to reduce freight rates and improve the lumber industry. Those present at the hearing included: Secretary Ledesma, Secretary Araneta, Carlos Fernandez, Pacifico Ocampo, E. H. Bosch, Fred Spengler, James Baldwin and Manuel E. Buenafe, executive secretary of the Philippine maritime committee. • • • REPORT DAMAGE TO FOREST AREAS Some 26,000,000 board feet of lumber and 79,360 lanzones trees worth a total of about a. million pesos have been destroyed wantonly by squatters on forest areas of Cotabato, according to actilng District Forester Ebad U. Ulangkaya. The forestry official complained that politics had made the squatters so fearless as to thwart attempts of rangers to check up on their activities. He also claimed that criminal ~omplaints filed against the squatters have been frozen in the courts. Instead, Ulangkaya said, forest rangers were being accused by squatters of setting fire to their homes and stealing their belongings. Some rangers reported having been threatened with bodily harm. The squatters' charges were of course, absurd because the rangers were there to look out for small fires and prevent their becoming disastrous and bigger fires, the forester commented. Ulangkeya charged further that squatters: 1. Were cutting trees at night and during rainy days in order to avoid forest patrols. 2 . Cleared forest areas and later sold the clearings to other squatters at a profit. 3. Owned homesteads, but kept on clearing other areas without any intention to settle on them. 4. Were cutting down newly planted trees in reforested area1. Ulangkaya estimated that at the rate of one meter Page 64 of forest lost daily, thousands of pesos in revenu• were being lost to the government. As a result of the wanton destruction of forests, Ulangkaya said floods have become frequent recently. In some places the flooded area covered three kilometers inland from the banks of the Rio Grande river. Several hectares of crops were often laid waste and more than 22 kilometers of the- DulawanKoronadal road became impassable. Floods in tum caused the rapid erosion of river banks. The eroded earth filled the river bed which changed course in several places when strong rain• came. Unless the destruction of forests is stopped, droughts will also follow, Ulangkaya fears. The forester said that of the 1,323 hectares of the first block of the lanzones reservation near the Mt. Apo national park in Kidapawan, 792 hectares have been destroyed and destruction was still going on. Another group of squatters destroyed about 200 hectares of the 1,305 hectares in the second block of the same reservation. -Manila Bulletin, Aug. 23, 19M • * • LUMBER TRADE ACCORD SIGNED The Philippine lumber industry was placed in a favorable position to export local sawn lumber to the United States in competition with Japanese shipments of Philippine mahogany following the signing of a contract between a number of Ameriean firms. The contract was signed by Robert M. Bartholdi, executive vice president of tha AmericanPhilippine Trading and Development company of San Jose, California. After six months of negotiations and surveying local business trends, Bartholdi announced the beginning of a series of regular large shipments of Philippine sawn lumber to the United States. The initial shipment will cover an export order for 100,000 board feet of sawn lumber. An additional order for 500,000 board feet is scheduled for shipment in the middle of this month and approximately 500,000 board feet monthly thereafter, with a possible increase to 1,000,000 board feet every 60 days. From the local offices of the American-Philippine Trading and Development Co. at 220 Samanillo building, Bartholdi announced that hia firm ha1 embarked on a venture that will "most definitely aid the economy of the Philippines." Barho1di explained further that his firm represents "practically every well-known manufacturer in the United States who, through us, can offer many commodities at prices that are guaranteed to bring down the existing prices of commodities in the Philippines." -Manila Bulletin, Sept. 6, 1954 FORESTRY LEAVES ARANETA STRESSES FOREST PROTECTION ments. The rates differ according to specific artiSecretary of Agriculture and Natural Resources Salvador Araneta stressed yesterday the importance of protecting public forests against kaii\gin, fire and other destructive agencies. Presiding at the third day technical discussion of the problems of forest conservation and protection held at the Agriculture Department conference room, Secretary Araneta pointed out to ranking FOA and forestry officials and lumbermen that it is cheaper and practical to undertake an effective •system of patrolling all forest areas than to expose them to destruction and later to repair them by artificial regeneration commonly known as reforests. tion which is an expensive process. He also said that forest guards would be provided with radio communication for better control and protection of forests and to minimize the employment of supervisors. Private initiative, he suggested, should be encouraged to plant trees in the mountainsides and other barren areas. -Sunday Times, Sept. 26, 1954 * * * LUMBERMEN'S MEMORANDUM Prepared by the Philippine Lumber Producer's Aaaociation for the Laurel Mission 1 . The tariff duties imposed on the importation of lumber and lumber products into the United States are contained in ( 1} Section 3424 of the Internal Revenue Code, as found in Title 26 of the U.S. Code Annotated and (2) Paragraph 412 of the Tariff Act of 1930 as amended by the various Reciprocal Trade Agreements. 2 . Section 3424 of the Internal Revenue Code provides as follows: "Lumber, rough, or planed or dressed on one or more sides, except flooring made of maple (except Japanese maple}, birch and beech, $3 per thousand feet, board measure; but the tax on the articles described in this section shall apply only with respect to the importation of such articles. · The tax imposed by this sub-section shall not apply to lumber of Northern white pines (Pinus strobus} Norway pine (Pinus resinosa}, and Western white spruce." The $3 rate per thousand board feet, however, has been reduced by the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade to 75c per thousand board feet on granadilla, mahogany, rosewood and satin-wood lumber not further manufactured than sawed and to $1.50 per thousand board feet on such lumber which has been further manufactured than sawed. The tax on certain other species of lumber have also been reduced, but the maximum reduction is to 75c per thousand board feet. 3. The Tariff Act of 1930, Paragraph 412, establishes various ad valorem rates on different manufactures of wood, and these rates have been lately amended by the various Reciprocal Trade AgreeDecember, 1954 des, for instance. Bed Rails and Thresholds, 20% adv. Door Jambs 16-2/3% adv. Furniture parts, 20% adv. Box shook, 3-3/4% adv. Crates, cases, etc., not for complete, closed box, 16-2/3% adv. Furthermore, the rates have been adjusted by successive trade agreements. For instance in the original Tariff Act of 1930, furniture wholly or partially finished and parts thereof were levied 40% ad valorem tax. By successive trade agreements, this rate has been reduced to 20% on chairs, to 12-1/3% on ether furniture and to 20% on parts of furniture. 4. As can be seen, Timber and Lumber are subject to the specific tax provided in the U.S. Internal Revenue Code but which makes the tax applicable only with respect to the importation of such articles. Also, certain specific kinds of lumber such as Norway pine, Western white spruce and Northern white pine have been declared exempt of this tax. Other species of timber, including Mahogany, have had the tax reduced from $3 to 75 cents per thousand bd. ft. We recommend that efforts be made to have Philippine Mahogany and other species of Philippine timber included in the tax exempt group, or should this fail, that they be included with Mahogany and other timber species paying the reduced specific tax of 75 cents per thousand bd. ft. 5 . As regards the tax contained in the Tariff Act of 1930 on manufactures of wood, the problem is slightly more complicated. The criterion used to distinguish timber and lumber on one side and manufactures of wood on another side is whether the article involved is dedicated to be used for only one purpose or to be made into only one product. For instance, sawn lumber either rough or planed, and either green or air dried or kiln dried, is free of the ad valorem tax, but when the lumber is manufactumed into paneling and a shipment is all of one specified length, it is no longer considered as lumber because it can only be used for one purpose. Likewise, when Bed Rails and Thresholds and Door Jambs are shipped in one specific length, they again become subject to the ad valorem tax. 6 . The problem, then, is how to include manufactures of Philippine wood in the tax free list of the Tariff Act. Otherwise, the result will be that our exports to the U. S . will be definitely limited to raw timber in the form of logs or sawn lumber, not further manufactured than planed. This development would be unfortunate, because the present trend is precisely to have more manufacturing done in the Philippines in view of: (1) the advantage in wage rates between United States and Philippine labor, Page 65 and ( 2) the gradual but steady improvement of our Philippine sawmills towards producing lumber specially processed to suit the demands of the U.S. market. Thru careful study of the requirements of the American consumers, Philippine sawmills can be expected to ship their lumber in an increasing percentage of semi-finished articles. This would have the great advantage of eliminating the necessary cost of freight on the waste component which necessarily accompanies lumber when shipped rough. Only thus can we hope to augment the value of our exports while at tjhe same time increase the opflOrtunities for employment in the Philippines. 7. Our recommendations, therefore, are as follows: A. Philippine Mahogany and other species of Philippine timber should be exempt of the specific tax imposed by the U. S . Internal Revenue. If this is not possible, Philippine timber should at least be dassified together with Mahogany, against which it competes, and should therefore be subject only t.o the reduced rate of 75 cent per 1,000 bd. ft. B. Manufacturers of Philippine woods should be exempt of the tariff duties provided by the Tariff Act of 1930. In particular we are interested m such manufactures as the following: Bed Rails, Thresholds, Door Jambs, Paneling, Box Shooks and Box Car Decking. The foregoing articles are the principal manufactures which can be expected to enter our export trade to the United States, and if specifically exempt of the rates of them reduced, our trade would be safely protected. 8. Finally, it might be well to mention that the Philippine Lumber Industry has patiently and stead· fastly maintained for the last forty years an organized and persistent campaign to create an active demand in the U.S. market for Philippine Mahogany. This has involved a heavy expenditure to establish the trade na~e of "Philippine Mahogany·• and to obtain trade acceptance and consumer pre· f P.rence for our lumber. This effort is still being continued in cooperation with the group of U . S . importers organized as the "Philippine Mahogany Association, Inc." It is only lately that the detrimental effects of stoppage of supplies during the Japanese occupation has been successfully overcome, and U . S . consumers have again shown their ready preference for Philippine timber. The imposition of U.S. tariffs or excise taxes at this time would greatly increase the marketing problems of Philippine producers and might tend to nullify the good work which had been done in the past year. -Sunday Times, Sept. 19, 1954 * * * ARANETA STRESSES IMPORTANCE OF FIRST NATIONAL FORESTRY CONFERENCE The deteriorating climatic conditions in many parts of the country, the dwindling forest resources Page 66 and the excassive erosion taking place have made urgent the calling of a national forestry conference, according to Secretary Salvador Araneta of agriculture and natural resources. "This is the most propitious time to rally our people to forest conservation." the secretary empha· sized. He said the past drought provides the proper dramatic background for this conference, adding that the ideal climatic and physical conditions in many regions of the country are no longer ex1stmg because the forest resources that made them ideal had been wantonly destroyed. ' But more than the drought, the secretary emphasized, the sorry plight of our forest inventory that , has been reduced to a figure lower than the barest' minimum must provide the determination for· dramatic action on our part. The main issue in the conference, he stressed, will be the immediate benefit on one hand against the farsighted restrained view of conserving the capital of our forest resources intact for sustained yield and future generations. He pointed out that the forest conservation philosophy will have ·to face three strong forces: first, the kaiiigineros, second, the farmers (all hungry for land, and who would want forest land to be released for agriculture immediately) ; and third, a few lumbermen who only think of themselves and of how to get rich quick. The foresters and the conservation men will lose this tight, according to him, if our government and our people should fail to extend to them their wholehearted support. Secretary Araneta called attention to the fact that there is more than gold, more than logs and lumber, in our forests. The indirect benefits of forests to the national economy and national wellbeing amount to more than gold, he said, for they constitute the bread of the country-invaluable, immeasurable. He expects the conference to formulate a practical program to effect forest conservation. Manila Buleltin, Sept. 30 * * * LEDESMA, SELGA ALSO GUEST SPEAKERS; FORESTRY PROBLEMS TO BE THRESHED OUT The first Philippine Forest Conservation and Reforestation conference opens this morning at the University of the Philippines' Rizal Hall on Padre Faure Street, with President Magsaysay as the principal speaker. Others scheduled to address the conference are Commerce Secretary Oscar Ledesma and Gen. Florencio Selga, chief of the Philippine constabulary. During the two-day meet, which was called under administrative order No. 57, lumbermen, technicians, FORESTRY LEAVES foresters and others interested in forest conservation and reforestation will thresh out problems related tu the maintenance of the necessary balance of foren cover, logging systems and the physical protection of Philippine fore.sts. Agriculture Secretary Salvador Araneta, general chairman of the conference will preside during the morning session today and in the afternoon session tomorrow. He will also give the opening remark~, and introduce the President. Presiding this afternoon will be Forestry Director Felipe R. Amos and tomorrow morning, former Forestry Director Florencio Tamesis. The conference will close with a dinner to be held tomorow evening at the Philippine Columbian club on Taft Avenue. Guest speakers of the occasion will be Rep. Guillermo R. Sanchez, chairman of the house committee on forests; Col. Harry A. Brenn, chief of F.O.A. Philippines; and Senator Fernando Lopez, chairman of the •enate committee on agriculture and natural resources. Papers bearing on the various aspects of forest conservation and reforestation will be read by the following during the meet: Forester Valentin Sajor, Forestry Director Felipe R. Amos, Forester Carlos Sulit, Forester P. San Buenaventura, Forester Jose Viado, Jose Mapa Gomez, Jr., president of the Sugar Planters' association; and newsmen Luis Serrano and Roberto Villanueva. Open forums will follow the reading of these papers. Panel discussions will also be held on sanctions on forest violations and clear-cut policy on "kaiiigineros". Taking part in the discussions will be representatives of the provincial governors, the Philippine constabulary, department of justice, National Resettlement and Rehabilitation administration, bureau of lands, bure11u of labor and bureau of forestry. A special feature of the conference will be a trip by the delegates Saturday morning to Los Banos, Laguna, to visit the forest plantation of the bureau of forestry and the U.P. college of forestry. Manila Buletin, Sept. 30 * * * LUMBERMEN URGED TO HELP CONSERVE WATER RESOURCES Forestry and lumber licensees were urged by Artemio E. Gesmundo of the bureau of soil conservation to help the government conserve the soil and water resources of the country. Gesmundo, addressing a group of forestry men and lumber concessionaires at Naga City during a welcome program for district forester Enrique K. Santos, suggested that: 1 . Our forests should and must not be denuded. 2 . Sufficient forest cover should be maintained in order not to diminish our water power and waste our valuable soils unnecessarily. Emphasizing the relation of forest trees to the December, 1954 soil and water resources of the country, Gesmundo said that if the trees in the mountains and hills had not been depleted there would now be an abundance of water power in Naga city and, for that mattec, in many other sections of the country. "Because the equilibrium of the protective trees was disturbed and the covering trees in the highlands were cut down and destroyed," he said, "the water supply at Naga, as also in many other places in the Philippines, is now greatly reduced. The water pressure here in Naga is very low because of insufficient water supply." Water, according to him, dries out easily and fast in uncovered places. "Unreforested areas are dry and eroded," he said. "This is a common sight everywhere in the country." Gesmundo said the wanton removal of trees in our forests is a serious threat to our agriculture. The evil practice of the "kaiiigeneros" of cutting down trees and clearing the forests--although the areas are not appropriate for agricultural purposes, even for one reason-must be discouraged, he said. He called upon the bureau of forestry field personnel to be always on the lookout for what he called "these enemies of sound agricultural practices." Manila Bulletin, Sept. 30 * MAGSAYSAY, ARANETA URGE LUMBER OPERATORS TO CONSERVE P.I. FORESTS The first Philippine Forest Conservation and Reforestation Conference in the Philippines opened yesterday at the former Rizal Hall of the University of the Philippines with both President Magsaysay and Agriculture Secretary Salvador Araneta exhorting their listeners to do all they can to conserve the nation's valuable forest reserves. The two-day conference, which closes this aftecnoon, was attended by lumbermen, foresters and other groups interested in the nation's forest resources, who heard a representative of the President and Mr. Araneta at yesterday's opening ceremonies underscore the importance of maintaining careful watch over these resources against the incursions of natural and men-made forces. But the first day did not touch directly upon a number of vital points which informed sources in the bureau of forestry and the department of agriculture said might well be the touchstone of all planning in the forestry resources field. These included, among other things, observations that: 1. President Magsaysay's recent announcement "soothing" fears of landed officials was bound to have a deleterious effect upon certain interests who currently hold large concessions on different islands. Page 67 2 . Aliens dominate the nation's lumber merchandising business. 3. An as yet undetermined number of Filipinos ara "fronting" for alien lumber groups. 4: Critical examination of the nation's forest resources has become a virtually impossible task owing to the limited funds available for the traveling expenses of the bureau's rangers. Department sources told the Bulletin yesterday that the President's announcement the other day comforting the government officials who have acquired public lands in places where they are assigned notwithstanding the prohibition contained in an order issued before the war might encourage or abet the land scramble further. These sources said that while this was tn...e mainly to agricultural lands, the same things are now becoming true to timber areas, which many speculators ·-some of them relatives of high local and national officials-are applying for. A bureau of forestry informant told th!! Bulletin that in one specific instance only three weeks ago, a tract of land in Oriental Mindoro which was supposed to have been given out for bidding to a small applicant from Luzon was "suddenly and mysteriously" withdrawn and in ,the name of the applicant was substituted the name of a brother of a ranking Orient.ti Mindoro official. The bureau informant said that while this had happened in connection with grazing land, the same situation was true in greater or lesser degree among applicants for forest grants. He cited the case of a ranking Nacionalista senat:or whose timber conceuion in Oriental Mindorc was being sought for release by department officials as agricultural land to accommodate hundreds of Ilocano 18ttlers. "We recommended that this land be released so it could be distributed as agricultural land, but the senator blocked the' move and managed to stay the order. Other department sources underscored the importance of maintaining the 42 per cent forest land end 58 per cent agricultural land proportion, warning that unle11 something was done to keep this balance, the nation may expect to sustain floods, droughts and other calamities. These sources streued that at the rate the better timber lands are being exploited today, time may come when these areas will be totally denuded. A second point brought up in connection with yesterday's forestry conference was the observation by a department official that a substantial portion of the retailing of lumber and lumber products in the country was being handled by aliens. The official said the control extended not only to retailing but sometimes also to actual operation of sawmills and logging sites. He said reports had Page 68 been received by the department of agriculture on such operations especially in Quezon province, Mindoro and Mindanao but because of the refusal of witnesses or the dummies themselves to testify, the department was being hampered in its work of ferreting out these dummies. Still another vital point stressed in connection with the conference was the statement of a bureau of forestry employee regarding the virtual impossibility of keeping close tabs on the exploitation of the nation's forest resources. * * This source pointed out that the bureau's small 11nd inadequately financed ranger force was being obliged to operate on an annual transportation allowance, making it impossible for ~e rangers to maklil comprehensive surveys of their respective areas. "About the only intensive traveling possible for them comes when their trips are financed by big companies who ask them to survey and examine for them tracts of forest lands in which they are interested" this force said. "They cannot go out as often as they should because they do not have the money. The sacrificies they must undertake are great, and the PS0,000 appropriation for them is woefully inadequate." Notwithstanding these sour notes, yesterday's more than 400 delegates at the forestry conference listened with keen interest to Secretary Araneta and Fred Ruiz Castro, the President's ,epresentative, make sundry recommendations for the conservation of the nation's forest resources. Among the recommendations were stricter control of "kaiiigin" practices, increase in the pace of reforestation activities, especially in areas where heavy logging operations have taken place, and a request for P300,000 more from congress to be spent for various reforestation projects and campaigns in an critical provinces. Tomorrow morning, the delegates will motor to Los Banos to visit the bureau of forestry office and the U. P. college of forestry. -Manila Bulletin, Oct. 1 • * • P.I. REFORESTATION CONFERENCE ENDS The first Philippine forest conservation and reforestation conference in the Philippines adjourned last night with a special dinner at the Philippine Columbian club on Taft avenue after two intensive days of discussions on ways and means of conserving the nation's dwindling forest resources. Speeches by F.A.O. director Harry Brenn, Senator Fernando Lopez and Rep. Guillermo Sanchez highlighted the dinner program which capped the two-day conference that brought together more than 400 delegates from the ranks of lumbermen, government officials, technicians and others intarested in the country's forest wealth. FORESTRY LEAVES Today, th!o! delegates plan to motor to the bureau of forestry reservation in Los Banos, Laguna, to inspect first hand the forestry projects and experiments being conducted there. They are also expected to visit the University of the Philippines' college of forestry, which conducts parallel activities, in the same town. Former Director Florencio Tamesis presided over yesterday's second and last day of the convention, which had Commerce Secretary Oscar Ledesma de·· livering a speech pointing up the importance of forest products to the economic wealth of the nation. Later in the day, papers on forestry conservation were read by Jose Viado, general inspector of the department of agriculture, and Jose Mapa Gomez, president of the Sugar Planters association. Yesterday afternoon, Secretary Araneta presided over the session, during which other papers were read on diverse subjects by Luis Serrano and Roberto Villanueva. A number of resolutions were passed shortly before the conference broke up to repair to the Philippine Columbian for the last phase of the convention. -Manila Bulletin, Oct. 2 * * * BASILAN'S SQUATTERS To the Editor: I have read the article, "Troubles of the Landless," in your issue of September 11 and would like to offer a few comments on the part pertaining to Basilan. The local office of the bureau of forestry has not acted drastically or hastily toward the squatters in the forest reserve. They have been given ample time to make up their minds to transfer to an area of about 870 hectares earmarked for release for agriculture. I can assure you that the area now occupied by these people is not suited to agriculture, being rough and having poor soil. The area selected for them is now being cleared. It is adjacent to the Tairan Plantation of ex-Congressman Juan Alano. Mr. Alano has offered to donate free seedlings of coconuts, coffee and palay; Basilan Lumber Co. will give free lumber for temporary houses; and Watts Philippine Selective Timber, facilities for transportation. The economy of Basilan City is definitely forestryagriculture. Last year the exports of logs, lumber and plywood amounted to P12,261,268.07, of copra to P5,222,615.56. The 11 lumber companies operating here pay annually over P700,000 in forest re•1enues and other taxes. They also pay monthly almost P300,000 in wages to 2,500 laborers having some 10,000 dependents. To preserve this valuable industry, the forests of Basilan must be managed carefully s.nd scientifically.-Hipolito B. Marcelo, district forester, Basilan City, Free Press, October 2, 1954. December, 1954 SANCHEZ REPORTS ON LOG MARKET The market position of Philippine logs and lumber is only assured on the "surface", declared Rep. Guillermo Sanchez (N, Agusan), chairman of the presidential barter trade mission to Japan in his report to President Magsaysay. Sanchez also said that Japan refused to agree on direct barter arrangements for sugar and other commodities which she badly needs from the Philippines. The Philippine mission's proposal for exchanging raw sugar for essential Japanese commodities of equivalent value was turned down by the Japanese ministry of international trade and industry. The Agusan salon said that the problem of local lumber producers has not been entirely solved, because Japan has consistently reduced her foreign exchange allocations for imports from all areas, thereby giving rise to the possibility that the MITI (Japan's ministry of international trade and industry) would later on restrict the importation of Philippine logs and lumber regardless of the "assurances given to our mission" by the director of the bureau of international trade and industry. He added: "Such a possibility becomes even more patent if we recall that last year J span's imports from the Philippines were more than twice the value of her exports to us, resulting in an adverse balance against her imports amounting to $28,695,000." -Sunday Times, October 10 * * * PROTECTION FOREST COMMITTEE CREATED The creation of a Protection Forest Committee to define, determine and advise the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources what are the areas to be declared protection forest areas was urged by foresters during the first Philippine Forest Conservation and Reforestation conference held in Manila recently, the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources announced yesterday. The Committee, to be created by the Secretary of Agriculture and Natural Rosources, will be composed of the director of forestry as chairman, and a representative each of the National Power Corporation, Bureau of Public Works, Bureau of Mines and Juan Arellano, as members. -Sunday Ti~s, October 10 * * * ANOTHER NEGLECTED BUREAU Traffic jamg are a common sight outside the onestory main building of the Bureau of Forestry on Manila's Juan Luna St. Inside the building, one has practically to shout to be heard over the roaring din. Dust stirred up by the procession of cars, trucks, busses, and calesas, freely enters and settles in the poorly ventilated rooms, once aptly described by former Vice-President Lopez as "dark and hot." Page 69 The Bureau of Forestry is another neglected bureau alao when it comes to finances. A few months ago the Bureau of Forestry did not have money to replace the old time dock which had broken down. For the good of the public service, employees chipped in the handsome sum of Pl,000 for a new one. And though it seems obvious that low-salaried workers should be given free medical treatment, Bureau of Forestry personnel, few if any of whom can be described as overpaid, pay for it themselves through their own organizations Employees find little financial security. One man with the bureau for almost 14 years still gets the minimum salary of Pl20 a 111onth. However, because of his temporary status-after 14 years still temporary-as an assistant illustrator, he faces the terrifying prospect of leaving his family without a centavo when he dies. And, shamefully, many other Bureau of Forestry employees wit'l long service are in the same boat. And it isn't that the eriployees are not efficient. The Bureau of Forestry, from top to bottom, takes pride in an excellent record. For example, the critically explosive Bell Report found the Bureau of l"erestry to bf' "efficiently manageCl." It should be fully apparent that there can not be efficient management without efficient employees. Some changes are sorely needed. The Bureau of Forestry first of all should be rewarded with a better building away from clanging traffic snarls. And similarly veteran employees should be rewarded with more adequat• financial security for faithful service rendered. -Nicomedes 0. Mirafuente, Free Pre~&, October 30. * * • MORE TREES NEEDED Actual forest covei:. in the country is far below the minimum requirements for purposes of utility and benefit, it was recently disclosed by Agriculture Secretary Salvador Araneta. The secretary pointed out that each province should hold at least the minimum percentage of forest area in relation to its over-all land area. The inadequate forest area, he revealed, is a critical problem in the following provinces: Abra, Antique, Albay, Batangas, Bukidnon, Cebu, Ilocos Norte, Ileilo, Laguna; Marinduque, Misamis Occ., Mt. Province, Pampanga, Romblon and Tarlac. Administrative Order No. 15 issued recently by Secretary Araneta upon the recommendation of Lands Director Castrillo, requires that in the future all Orders of Approval of homestead applications and Orders of Award ;,f sales and leases of public agricultural land will require applicants to keep not less than 10 per cent of the land applied for planted to trees of economic value. -Free Press, October 30 Page 70 ARANETA ISSUES 2 FOREST ORDERS Better enforcement of laws protecting the forest is anticipated wi•h the issuance Thursday of two orders by Agriculture Secretary Salvador Araneta. One of the orders is expected to bring about the much desired coordination of efforts by the various law-enforcement agencies. It was pointed out that there should be effective teamwork among the personnel of the bureau of forestry, Philippine Constabulary and the department of justice. Likewise, since newly opened roads penetrate forest areas, public works officials in charge of road projects could help much in fOrest protection. Secretary Araneta has, therefore, designated a coordinating committee representing these four government agencis. This committee will meet once a month and formulate needed plans and recommend the necessary directives. The second order tries a new system of guarding the forest. A forest guard is to be assigned his 2,000-hectare sector along the perimeter of the forest area Instead of living i.n town as forest guards at present usually do, the guard will live right in his sector. In the choice of the forest guard, a married man is preferred with a male dependent who will be allowed to cultivate more than two hectares in the sector for the raising of food crop1 for himself and his family. --Sunday Times, Oct. 31 Agriculture and Natural Resources Secretary Salvador Araneta today instructed Forestry Director Felipe R. Amos to stop the illegal cutting of undersized trees in the Ambuklao watershed reservation for delivery to the mines by seeking the cooperation of the mining companies through the bureau of mines. This is · an implementation of the resolution approved at the first Philippine conservation and reforestation conference. Forestry Director Amos said that the holders of ordinary timber licenses affected by the Ambuklao watershed reservation would be allowed to continue their operations. Currently there are eight holders of licenses inside the reservation. For the cutting of timber in their respective concessions the following additional rules shall be enforced: 1) Only matured trees are to be cut of a diameter not less than ten inches determined at breastheight; 2) Cutting shall be absolutely restricted to the few small patches of virgin pine stand; 3) No dirt roads shali be opened, skyline yarding shall be employed and transporting of logs over the concession area shall be done by tramlines; 4) Only trees marked by a duly authorized forest officer shall be cut; (Cont'd on page 80) FORESTRY LEAVES 13. Los Baiios (Faculty & Employees) Prof. Calixto Mabesa ................. . Prof. Gregorio Zamuco ............... . Dr. Artemio Manza .................. . Prof. Jose B. Blando ................. . Prof. Froilan Rosqueta ................ . Prof. Teodoro Delizo ................ . Forester Valentin Sajor ............... . Forester Francisco Tamolang .......... . Forester Faustino Francia ............. . Forester Caesar Recto ................ . Forester Domingo Lantican ........... . Forester Domingo Jacalne ............. . Prof. Emiliano Roldan ............... . Forester Matrin Lagrimas ............. . Forester Rosario Cortes ............... . Mr. Napoleon Vergara ................ . Forester Osiris Valderrama Miss Herminia Jundos ................ . Mr. Felipe Lopez .................... . Forester Mario Eusebio , .............. . For. Guard Lucio Quimbo ............. . * * * Forester Isabelo Achacoso ............. . Forester Agapito L. Cenabre Forester Martin Reyes ............... . TIMBER ..• (Continued from page 43) 5.00 5.00 5.00 5.00 5.00 5.00 5.00 5.00 5.00 5.00 5.00 4.00 3.00 3.00 3.00 3.00 3.00 3.00 2.00 2.00 2.00 5.00 5.00 1.00 charge, still we have that advantage in that our species do not require reconditioning due to the comparative freedom from collapse. Handling therefore is not much of a problem. The use of Christensen lift truck which is a very flexible means of moving a pile of timber in a season_ing plant or manufacturing mill which has been adopted in Australia as a standard equipment could easily be adopted here due to the simplicity of design and does not require special machinery to construct. In places where there are extensive local species which are presently not used due to its tendency to collapse, reconditioning unit could be installed which will enable the commercial use of such trees instead of throwing them away or leaving them untouched. Timber seasoning would not only favor the timber users but would favor the proPage 80 COLLEGE BUILDING INAUGURATION The Forestry Student Body Organization has unanimously approved at its recent meeting to hold the inauguration and M oving-up Day jointly on March 20, 1955. Any College alumnus who wishes to attend the affair is requested to communicate with either the Forester-in Charge, Prof. C. Mabesa, or the President of the FSBO, Mr. Eduardo Llapitan not later than February 15, 1955. The cost of per cover is 1»'2.00 (Two pesos) for reservations. A NOTE OF THANKS The FORESTRY LEAVES wishes to express its thanks to its advertisers and the District Foresters, who in one way or another helped solicit ads for us, and to its subscribers for their continued support and patronage. The ads that arrived on or before the deadline are included in this issue. Those that came later will appear in the Inauguration Issue on March 20, 1955. The Management. B. F. NOTES .. (Conti1"ued from page 62) A. Saura, chief, Sr. Rangers, V. Ergino, P. Aganad and B. Lansigan, members; T.I. Party No. 3--For. G. P. Juan, chief, Sr. Rangers, B. Agaloo1 and E. Cabote, members; T.I. Party No. 4-For. M. Maun, chief, Sr. Rangers, C. Cortes and J. Lameda, members; T.I. Party No. 5-For. J. Miranda, chief, Sr. Rangers R. Bobon and M. Abuan, members. The Regional Inspector of the Timber Inventory parties is Forester Roman R. Aquino. FORESTRY IN THE . . . (Continued from page 70) 5) As soon as a forest officer has determined that there are no more matured trees which may be cut in the licensed area, the corresponding timber licenses shall be cancelled. Daily Mirror, Dec. 23, 1954 ducers as well. The users would be able to use the lumber satisfactorily and the producers would benefit by avoiding waste and unnecessary tying up of their capital in the drying yard as well as promote the use of lumber which will in effect be beneficial to the lumber industry. FORESTRY LEAVES