Aquino mulling total log ban

UPDATED 3:00 p.m. - After seeing the devastation caused by floods and landslides in Albay, President Benigno Simeon "Noynoy" Aquino III said he is contemplating the possible imposition of a total log ban nationwide. A Malacañang news release on Friday said Aquino made the statement during a briefing in Legazpi City on the extent of damage caused by continuous rains in the Bicol region. "There must be a long-term intervention to all these flooding. Actually I'm thinking of a total log ban everywhere in the country," the president was quoted as saying. In an ambush interview, Aquino said he will issue on Monday an executive order on illegal logging. However, he did not disclose details on the content of the legal issuance but hinted that it will "drastically cut down the problem of illegal cutting of log." On Thursday, Aquino said he has already talked to Environment Secretary Ramon Paje about how the government can be tougher against illegal loggers. "Logs are our first defense against all these floodings and it pains me to note that patuloy pa rin ‘yung illegal logging," said the president. Albay was placed in a state of calamity late last month after continuous rainfall caused floods and landslides that displaced over 32,000 residents. The Palace news release said the president ordered the Department of Social Welfare and Development to assist the displaced residents and 3,199 farmers whose crops were destroyed by the continuous rains. The possible augmentation of Albay's calamity funds will also be studied, said the president, who turned over relief backs and hygiene kits to Albay Governor Joey Salceda during his visit. Aside from Albay, Aquino is set to go to St. Bernard in southern Leyte and to Butuan City which were also heavily affected by floods and landslides. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) has estimated the damage to property, infrastructure, and agriculture caused by floods and landslides in parts of Bicol, Visayas, and Mindanao at P1.2 billion. At least 42 people have died due to the floods and landslides. The number of displaced persons nationwide has reached 1,355,229, according to the NDRRMC's report to the president. – RSJ/VVP, GMANews.TV