The Philippines’ forest industry’s share of the country’s gross national product (GNP) has dipped significantly following the government’s ban on logging and log exportation, according to the government.
Michael Defensor, secretary of the environment and natural resources department, told the Philippine Forestry Development Forum at the Asian Development Bank that forestry’s share of GNP had dropped from 1.97% in 1985 to 0.07% in 2003.
He said income from forest charges on harvested logs and non-timber forest products such as rattan and bamboo had decreased from P461.71 million in 1990 to P222.53 million in 2003.
However, Mr Defensor said forest cover had grown to 7.2 million ha last year from 6.4 million ha in 1989.
