BY CORIE CORPUZ, DENR
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in Cagayan Valley has donated 3,338 board feet of common hardwood lumber for residents of Barangay San Pugo in Nagtipunan, Quirino.
The residents are among the estimated 190 Bugkalot families who lost their houses to soil liquefaction due to continuous heavy rains brought about by Typhoon Ulysses on November 14.
Gov. Dakila Carlo Cua received the lumber from DENR Regional Executive Director Gwendolyn Bambalan through a deed of donation signed on Dec. 15 in Cabarroguis, the province’s capital.
In her message, Director Bambalan said the DENR will explore the possibility of increasing the volume of lumber for donation in line with the post disaster recovery and rehabilitation under the government’s Build Back Better Program. The community environment and natural resources officers in the region were instructed to provide some confiscated lumber from their confiscations stockpiled in their jurisdictions.
Executive Order 120 mandates the Build Back Better Task Force to ensure availability and adequacy of key lifelines such as basic needs, medical services, electricity, water, telecommunication, and transportation that can be mobilized immediately after the typhoon. It shall also rebuild or repair houses to be more resilient to hazards and build safer sites for housing under the township approach.
“We pledge to commit our support to the local government in whatever undertaking especially on environmental conservation and protection,” the regional environment chief said.
The provincial chief executive considered the donation as “a wonderful way to celebrate Christmas” as he expressed gratitude to the DENR for the donated lumber.
“Kahit konti iyan, iyan ay simbolo ng pag-asa para sa ating mga mahal na Bugkalot. Your gesture gives inspiration to all of us,” Gov. Cua said.
The signing of the deed of donation was witnessed by PENR Officer Mariam Frances Malana and San Pugo Barangay Captain Mark Tumbo.