The Philippines has cancelled 8,000 logging permits covering 2.2 million ha of forestland following a nationwide survey of forestry contracts.
Environment secretary Michael Defensor said the decision, which affects eight regions, was due to permit violations, including tree cutting outside designated areas.
Mr Defensor said many permit holders were engaged in illegal logging, while others rented their land to illegal loggers. Cancellations were also made due to the difficulty of determining whether loggers were complying with contract conditions.
The minister had only recently cancelled 276 permits, covering community-based and industrial forests, tree plantation leases and socialised industrial forest management agreements. Just 18 industrial forest management agreements are left, 14 of which are active, but only three are currently allowed to operate.
