𝐌𝐔𝐋𝐓𝐈-𝐒𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐀𝐋 𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐓 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐓𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐂𝐈𝐋 (𝐌𝐅𝐏𝐂) 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐕𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐃.

The Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) of Matalam, headed by CENR Officer Abunawas B. Abduladsis spearheaded an information drive for the reactivation of Multi-sectoral Forest Protection Council (MFPC) on November 11 in the Municipality of Makilala, Cotabato.

 

The MFPC will serve as a collection point of information on illegal logging, act as a special monitoring team of the department and organize Information Education and Communication (IEC) campaigns.

 

In the conducted activity, a number of government promulgations including PD 705 (Revised Forestry Code), RA 9175 (Chainsaw Act), RA 9147 (Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act) and procedures for the filing of complaints and protocol on case filing were tackled, including the harmonization of the Manual of Operating Procedure (MOP) of MFPC and the assessment of existing forest protection operations and activities.

 

By means of shifting the government policy from purely state and corporate-driven forest governance to a more participatory mode characterized by greater involvement of the local communities and other stakeholders, the reactivation of the MFPC was initiated by the CENRO Matalam Monitoring and Enforcement Section. This is a radical shift in the way forest laws were enforced in the country and set to serve as a model to the many evolving schemes of the partnership between the DENR and other stakeholders.

 

Said event was attended by various barangay officials from the Municipality of Makilala, MENRO personnel and the Philippine National Police.| With photos and report from Ivy Cinconiegue of CENRO Matalam