Cutting of mango trees in Guimbal, Iloilo now regulated
Unauthorized cutting of mango trees within the territorial jurisdiction of the Municipality of Guimbal is now prohibited.
This developed after the Sangguniang Panlalawigan through the Committee on Agriculture chaired by Board Member Mariano Malones authorized the enforcement of 'An ordinance regulating the cutting of mango trees in the Municipality of Guimbal, Iloilo' (Municipal Ordinance 2005-92).
Prior to the passage of the ordinance, the Office of the Municipal Agriculture (OMA) disclosed a decrease in the number of mango trees in Guimbal for the past years.
Regulating the cutting of mango trees on the other hand is expected to boost the town's Mango Development Program geared towards mango propagation.
Under the ordinance cutting will only be allowed if extremely necessary and would give long term benefits to the residents of Guimbal.
Cutting will be allowed if trees are uprooted by typhoons and rendered unproductive and for the purpose of eradicating over-mature trees that jeopardize the safety of the public.
But, the cutting has to be monitored and strictly supervised.
The tree owner must first seek permit from the OMA and the DENR and replace the mango tree with equivalent number of seedlings one week before its cutting.
Violators shall be fined P2,500, an imprisonment of at least five days or both at the discretion of the court.
The coastal municipality of Guimbal is situated 29 kilometers south of Iloilo City. (PNA)