LA TRINIDAD, Benguet, – – Oleoresin tapping of pine trees will soon be regulated with the approval of an ordinance which seeks to protect and preserve the pine trees which abound in the province.
Oleoresin from pine tree is a natural combination of a resin and a volatile oil. For ages, it was used for lighting, as sealant to preserve wooden ships and as sealant of Greek urns for religious ceremonies. Nowadays, it is used for chemical industries to produce cleaners, insecticides, solvents, paper sizing, paint, printer ink, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, aroma and flavor compounds, food additives .
Board Member Sario Copas, chair of the Committee on Indigenous Peoples, said the passage of the ordinance is needed to serve as guide for those doing extraction activities.
Oleoresin extraction is already a livelihood venture in the province stressing the need for those engaged in it to abide by the ordinance. “If they follow the rules, there would be no problem, ” he said.
As indicated in the measure, regulating such activity is for it to be sustainable and not pose danger to the Benguet pine. It is likewise part of the government’s commitment of regulating any socioeconomic activity in the indigenous peoples’ (IP’s)/indigenous cultural communities’ (ICCs’) ancestral domain to make it sustainable and environment-friendly.
The pine trees in forests, like any other trees, serve as carbon sink, mitigate greenhouse effect, source of useful products both wood and non-wood material among others.
Among the rules, regulations and standards to conform with during tapping activities follow: secure necessary permits from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR); certificate of precondition issued by the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples in areas covered by Certificates of Ancestral Domain Title or Certificates of Ancestral Land Title; agreement forged by and between the project proponent and ICCs/IPs as represented by the elders/leaders containing negotiated benefits, protection measures, and other negotiated matters during the conduct of the process to obtain the Free Prior and Informed Consent of the community; trained and licensed tappers by the DENR or by the technology provider accredited by DENR; fire prevention and control mechanism on all resin tapping sites; required width of face of tree for tapping; provision of sealant for the debarked part of the trunk; and quarterly health inspection of trees and direct supervision of the DENR during tapping operations.
There are also matters that must be observed such as following a certain age and breast height diameter, non-extraction in public domain, no child laborers, and non-usage of acid pastes for oleoresin stimulation.
Areas where such operations are not allowed are sacred grounds, forest reserves and watersheds, international and local heritage sites, and critical and other sites identified by the ICCs/IPs.
Provisions in promoting natural regeneration and plantation and preferential rights of local residents to perform resin tapping are also in place.
Prior to its approval by the board, the measure passed public consultation among stakeholders such as the DENR, NCIP and the IP groups. **By Susan C. Aro
