DENR donates desks to Batangas schools

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has donated at least 500 desks out of illegally cut logs to schools in San Juan, Batangas.

Reynulfo Juan, DENR-Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon) director, said the desks were manufactured by the provincial and community environment and natural resources offices in Laguna using 15,000 board feet of seized hot logs.

“The donation is in line with DENR Secretary Ramon Paje’s directive to utilize available confiscated timber without claimants and court cases to be manufactured into school desks for distribution to recipient schools as identified by the Department of Education (DepEd),” Juan said.

Paje ordered the donation of seized illegal logs to the DepEd for the construction of school buildings and to make chairs, desks and related facilities. The order is also part of the government’s intensified drive against illegal logging.

Eleazar Alaira, Laguna provincial environment and natural resources officer, said the confiscated lumber were cut using a state-of-the-art equipment at the impounding area of the DENR in Los Baños, Laguna.

 “The donation of the chairs is on time. The chairs will be used by incoming senior high school students,” San Juan Mayor Rodolfo Manalo said.