Manila Times, January 19, 2005

Aurora, Quezon Folk to Rebuild Homes
from Uprooted Trees
By Ronnie E. Calumpita

Residents of Aurora and Quezon that were left homeless by four consecutive storms late last year now have the materials to rebuild their lives.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) issued an order Tuesday allowing the residents to collect uprooted trees and logs that were swept away by typhoon-induced floodings.

DENR Memorandum 01-2005, however, specifies that only logs and trees that were cast adrift by the storm, and only those that measure about 30 inches in diameter and below, are allowed to be collected.

"If there is anyone who shall benefit from these recovered trees and logs, it shall be the local residents since they are the ones who are heavily affected by the typhoons," said Environment Secretary Michael Defensor.

The DENR order also allows the surviving victims of typhoons "Unding," "Violeta," "Winnie" and "Yoyong" to process smaller pieces of wood into charcoal that they can sell.

The memorandum gives special recovery permit to affected families to venture in charcoal-making in Quezon and Aurora. The permit is valid until February 12.

Defensor said the DENR is completing the retrieval operation for the inventory of uprooted trees and wayward logs to hasten the distribution to the residents who lost their houses and properties due to flash floods and landslides.

The Region IV-A technical director, Ricardo Calderon, said they have collected 7,996 pieces of uprooted trees, logs and branches with an estimated volume of 8,473.14 cubic meter in Aurora and 11,717 pieces of logs with estimated volume of 44, 620 cubic meters in Quezon.