The Environment department vowed Tuesday to stay vigilant against forest fires that usually occur during the dry season—but now amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu made the assurance after he ordered all regional and satellite offices to continue to prevent, monitor and fight forest fires despite the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine.
“As the dry season sets in and even during this COVID-19 pandemic, our personnel from our regional and satellite offices will all the more continue with their duty to protect our forests from fire and illegal activities,” Cimatu said.
A grass fire affected a portion of the Kaliwa watershed forest reserve in San Andres village in Tanay, Rizal, on April 5.
Cimatu says his department gives priority to the strict monitoring of the potential outbreak of forest fires in protected areas—and given their importance in ensuring sufficient water supply and in protecting the habitat of endangered and threatened species of plants and animals.
“Protected areas are essential to biodiversity conservation,” Cimatu said.
“Our quick response workforces are constantly on alert to protect the homes of our threatened and endangered species from illegal activities that benefit a few.”
Cimatu says while the dry season creates favorable conditions for forest fires, starting a fire is the work of humans either deliberately or by accident.
