DENR donates ‘hot’ lumber for classrooms, shelters for quake survivors

KIDAPAWAN CITY—-Lumber seized by environment officials would be donated to build temporary classrooms and shelters for families displaced by the series of quakes in Cotabato province in 2019.

At least 4,000 board feet of lumber would be made available by the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (Penro), all seized in anti-illegal logging operations, according to Cotabato Gov. Nancy Catamco.

On Tuesday (Jan. 7), Ma. Socorro Lanto, assistant regional director of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), and Mamutur D. Cariga, Penro chief, firmed up the donation at a visit to the governor’s office.

At a meeting of disaster mitigation and provincial officials last December, the governor requested for seized lumber to be donated to the provincial government for use on structures for the displaced.

The governor said it was urgent to replace temporary shelters with sturdier structures as evacuees were suffering from unbearable heat in tent cities.

Tarpaulin used for the tents were not deteriorating, said the governor.

Catamco said “many have complained of excruciating heat at day time, unbearable for children and mothers with babies.”

Catamco thanked the DENR for heeding her request.

At the meeting, the governor asked DENR officials to help the provincial government propagate bamboo as part of its post-quake rehab plan.

She said bamboo would help prevent landslides in mountain areas and also stop soil erosion.

Catamco said growing bamboo would also provide a source of livelihood for quake-stricken families.

Edited by TSB