The Philippine Coconut Authority provincial manager Brendan Trasmonte in Oriental Negros recently reiterated its warning against the continuing cutting of coconut trees in the province, because of the result of raids by agents of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group and the police last year.

Trasmonte said Tanjay City and its neighboring municipality of Pamplona topped the list of places in Oriental Negros where illegal cutting of coconut trees is rampant.

Pamplona, Guihulngan, and Valencia are the top three coconut producers in the province.

Trasmonte warned that, unless the cutting of coconut trees is regulated, the time will come when production will decrease.

Coconut products, particularly the new coconut virgin oil, are in high demand in the domestic and foreign markets.

Trasmonte appealed to residents to report any illegal coconut tree-cutting to their nearest police stations.

He said PCA also wants to know the number of coconut trees cut in order to replace them with new ones and sustain the volume of coconut products.

Trasmonte said the coconut agency will also reorient all police environment desk officers in the province on the important provisions of the Coconut Preservation Act of 1995.

The reorientation to be held on a still unspecified date, is necessary because many policemen, particularly in rural areas where illegal coconut tree cutting is happening, are apprehensive about their role in the campaign to protect and preserve coconut trees, Trasmonte added.*RG

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