More than two million jobs in the wood industry could be jeopardised unless a logging ban is lifted according to the Philippine Wood Producers Association (PWPA).
The association is appealing to the government to lift the ban or face bringing the local wood industry to the brink of closure.
As well as job losses, more than P20bn of investments in upstream and downstream wood-based industries could be lost, and the association also warns that it could wipe P21bn a year from the export of high value-added finished wood products.
Evaristo M Narvaez Jr, vice-president for timber of the PWPA, claims that since logging operations were suspended two months ago, around US$130m in exports have already been lost. And, he maintained, wood prices have increased by 40% due to tight supply.
The PWPA has submitted a four point action plan to the government to try and stamp out illegal logging operations. As well as examining the legitimacy of current forestry and wood processing operations, it suggests creating a National Timber Board to implement a master plan for the long term sustainability of Philippine forests.
