Baguilat proposes "Sagip Gubat" bill in Baguio

"Sagip Gubat", a bill that aims to protect, preserve, reforest, properly manage, and to properly define a forest area was proposed in the House of Representatives by a group of lawmakers including Ifugao Representative Teddy Baguilat.

"A forest should be a habitat where the dominant species are trees, though it also contains animals, root crops, and people because there are people living in the forests like our katutubo or indigenous people, so that's the bio diversity approach," said Baguilat.

Sagip Gubat could be considered like the log ban bill, it is easier to explain although the genuine objective of the bill is to see to it that the forests are strictly protected.

Baguilat said that the definition of forest today is at least half a hectare of land with at least 10 percent of the area having trees. They can already say that a barren land with 10 percent of its area planted with palm trees is already a forest and this would really affect the policy of
government.

"At present it is only the Department of Environment and Natural Resources that is doing this and we all know that they do not have the enough resources and manpower to look after all of our forests," he said.

The said bill prohibits logging, in both primary and secondary natural forests. In other versions of the bill, logging is being permitted on secondary forests.

It has also provisions that Indigenous people's tradition forest management practices will be respected. — ARA