The Fruits of Illegal Logging

 Industry needs structural materials in improving and building architectures due to overly widespread of industrialization. These raw materials include sand, gravel and particularly timbers which is more essential in construction. Timbers are found in forests wherein large quantities of them are planted in remote land forests in the world more particularly in the Philippines. But the abundances of these timbers are now abused by illegal loggers without replanting trees. Illegal logging is defined as the harvest, transportation, purchase or sale of timber in violation of laws. The problem of illegal logging is now on high alert in the Philippines, because this became the major factor in flood devastation and relative catastrophes.

    Illegal logging in the Philippines has brought many effects and causal chain. The merciless cutting of trees lead to flashfloods that also causing casualties or killing of people and homeless families especially on those below sea level areas like Central Luzon, NCR and Bicol Region. Trees were cut, that’s why there is no absorption of water plus the clogging because of irresponsible throwing of garbage.

     One of the most critical events in the Philippines is the occurrence of landslides and mudslides in Northern Luzon and Mindanao. These are also caused by illegal logging due to mining. Government finds it complicated because of the death toll records and stills other missing are not yet found. Earthquakes and numbers of typhoons are coming every month yet people aren’t well-prepared. Effects are not so immediate; it takes time to taste the fruits of illegal logging. It might have an immediate effect like soil erosion that leads to clumsy land forms yet remote results are much more disastrous. Even though the typhoon is not that strong, the impact of destruction is quiet risky.  How much more when strong typhoons are coming at the same time?

     For years, illegal logging laws had been passed by the government led by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources yet apparently chronic illegal logging are still diffused all over the country. This must be placed in the lane of most serious crimes against to those affected ones.

      Illegal logging has always been the main contributor to any disaster. I can’t even find positive outcomes of this. We should learn our lesson from the occurrence of natural phenomena. This will serve as a wakeup call for us to realize that when we cut trees, we should have to replant it ten times the number of cut trees and it’s time for reforestation. This is for the preservation of our dear mother earth and for the safety of the next generation for them to not to taste the fruits of illegal logging.