By Sr. Xavier Marie Bual, spc

Lanao del Sur, Which holds the beautiful Lake Lanao that empties to the North through Lanao del Norte at the majestic Maria Cristina Falls, is the main source of electricity for most of Mindanao, generated by the falls’ hydroelectric power plant managed by NAPOCOR. Lake Lanao is surrounded by untouched forest to the east, south and west. The southern area extends its forest far to the south of the province near the boundary of North Cotabato particularly the mountains of Wao which is the last municipality of Lanao del Sur. The main product of the area is corn, planted on rolling hills extending beyond the boundary to North Cotabato. Their area used to be covered with thick forest. The loggings companies cut these forests, built the roads and connected the small towns of Bukidnon, Lanao del Sur and North Cotabato. There is no road that cuts through the forest around Lake Lanao. This is precisely to protect the watershed of Lake Lanao.

Obvious Effects of Loggings

Recently, a big landslide covered the highway to Wao at the boundary of Bukidnon caused by the daily afternoon rain. The people of Wao considered this landslide a sound of alarm at the possible effects of the on-going cutting of trees up the mountains in the forest that forms part of the watershed of Lake Lanao. If the watershed is eroded it will bring about the gradual lowering of the water of the lake which will eventually run out of water during the dry season and will cut down the electric source in Mindanao and  cause floods during they rainy season.

Church People on Barricade

The parish priest and leaders of the Basic Ecclesial Communities of Wao decided to do something to stop the logging of their forest. They put up a barricade at the crossing of the barangay road that leads to the logging area and the national highway. Last July 12 a meeting was convened by the president of the diocesan clergy of Bukidnon to solicit the support of the local officials of Wao for the barricade started by the local church, Two weeks of rotation of BEC cluster leaders watching the barricade encouraged the priests of the churches of Malaybalay Diocese where Wao belongs through ecclesiastical arrangement. The priests of the Diocese supported the move of the local church of Wao by joining the leaders of Wao at the barricade site. The move was done by the religious sister of Bukidnon where they scheduled their presence at the barricade, two to five sisters at a time (two days for each group) at the barricade, for two weeks. There were about 300 people present representing the parishes of Bukidnon, RSP and organizations and NGO’S from Bukidnon, Lanao del Norte, Aguisan del Sur and del Norte, Davao, Cagayan de Oro.

“There’s nothing we can do!”

The mayor and his bodyguards as well as the barangay captains of Wao were requested to air their opinions about the move of the parish to oppose the cutting of trees in Wao mountains after the facilitator had explained the objective of the meeting. On the whole local government officials were concerned about the logging in the area and wanted it stopped. But they also expressed that they cannot do anything to stop it as the concessionaires have a permit to log the trees of Wao. They support the move of the parish but will follow orders from higher officials when specific orders to haul the logs to Cagayan will come. They therefore asked the parishioners (church leaders) to hold the barricade only up to the time when orders from higher officials to bring the logs to Cagayan might arrive.

Stick to the Fight

After the dialogue between the local government officials and the local church was adjourned, the core groups of the parish met with the visiting priests, sisters and NGO’s supporting the barricade and had a short meeting to clarify the stand of the parish leaders now that they know the stand of the local officials.

The parish leaders have decided to continue to stop the hauling of the logs even if orders should come from higher officials to allow the logs to be carried to the log pen at the Macajalar Bay in Cagayan de Oro. They have decided to stick to their earlier decision to stop the hauling of logs and to stop the cutting of trees and to have the permit to log in Wao be cancelled. They have therefore asked for the presence of the media when the time comes for them to lie down on the road to stop the trucks from passing the barricade with their own human bodies.

Without a total log ban, the cutting of trees will go on and on till not one tree is left standing.