Mt. Pulag is the second highest peak in the Philippines. It is home to 528 species of plants, and 33 species of animals including the endangered Philippine deer, giant bushy-tailed cloud rat and the long-aired fruit bat. It is revered as a mecca of nature lovers and mountain hikers. But now it is being denuded.
BY ACE ALEGRE
Bulatlat
Vol. 7, No. 22, July 8-14, 2007
BAGUIO CITY (246 kms from Manila) – Mt. Pulag, the country’s second highest peak, is being denuded.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in Benguet is getting worried that the so-called -climbing mecca in the northern provinces is being ravaged by massive tree-cutting and clearing operations.
The Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (Penro) of Benguet has declared two villages near the Mt. Pulag national park in Kabayan as “hot spot” areas due to the massive environmental destruction which is threatening the mossy forest.
Mt. Pulag, second to Mt. Apo in Davao in terms of height, has an elevation of 2, 922 meters above sea level. It is home to 528 biodiverse species of plants.
Sacred to the indigenous tribes Ibalois, Karaos and Kalanguyas of Benguet, Mt. Pulag is revered as “the mecca” of nature lovers and mountain hikers.
Mt. Pulag has 33 bird species and various endangered mammals like the Philippine deer, the giant bushy-tailed cloud rat (considered the biggest rat species in the world) and the long-haired fruit bat.
An investigating team led by the Benguet offices of the DENR reported that various patches of land reaching some 7.648 hectares in Barangays (Villages) Tawangan and Ballay, were “illegally” cleared and converted into vegetable gardens.
The team also found some 4,057 board feet of illegally-cut Benguet pine lumber in these patches.
A Benguet provincial environment officer called for the support of local government units (LGUs) and communities to save the country’s remaining forest covers there, stressing the need to intensify the enforcement of forest protection laws to save the mossy forest. “The rate of destruction within the identified hot spots implies the need for exerted efforts from various offices for intensive law enforcement actions.”
He also called on the Benguet provincial government much-needed support in order to protect the mountain.
Mt. Pulag is within the boundaries of Benguet, Ifugao and Nueva Vicaya.(Bulatlat.com)
