Pete Montallana, head of the environmentalist group Save Sierra Madre Network Alliance, said in a phone interview that illegal logging in Sierra Madre continued despite a total government ban. The northern Quezon section of Sierra Madre is considered as a hot spot of illegal logging. “Yes, there’s an increase in illegal logging activities every election,” he said also in a phone interview. PatrolsHe said, though, that environment authorities were on “constant patrol.”He added that the surge of illegal logging was “isolated.” He refused to elaborate. According to a source privy to the illegal logging trade, syndicates sell hot logs for up to P50 per board foot.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer February 17, 2019 21:11 UTC