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| tree planting |
By
JUNE S. BLANCO
TREE
planters should be taxed only when these are being harvested for commercial
purposes.
Rep. Erico Aumentado (2nd District, Bohol) introduced House
Bill 5461 that aims to allow planters time to grow, nourish and nurture their
trees before they are required to pay taxes and fees for them.
In his explanatory note, Aumentado said he observed that the
slow reforestation effort on denuded lands is largely due to the lack of
incentive from both the national and local governments.
More often than not, he explained, local government units
(LGUs) impose high realty taxes on trees as they consider them to be
improvement on the taxable land. He said the “exorbitant local taxation” has
discouraged land owners from planting forestal or even fruit-bearing trees.
Trees are important, he pointed out, because these serve as
flood control;s, typhoon breakers, and in the case of mangroves, tidal buffers
which mitigate the impact of tidal action on the shorelines.
Trees also help preserve underground water, ensure the flow
to rivers, creeks and streams that feed hydropower and facilities to irrigate
rice lands, and in some cases, provide potable water to inhabitants.
Rampant, irresponsible and wanton cutting of trees causing
denudation of forest land, private properties, idle lands and watershed areas
of the public domain, however, have triggered devastating floods “causing
tremendous damage to lives and properties,” Aumentado said.
He quoted internationally renowned architect Felino Palafox
Jr. as saying that trees are elements of the environment, major components to
flood controls as well as wind and tidal breakers, hence they must be preserved.
But, he said, preservation and reforestation efforts can be
encouraged only by providing incentives like the Aumentado measure.
Once approved, his proposed “Tree Planting Seven-Year
Incentive Act of 2012” will take effect 15 days after its publication in at
least two national newspapers of general circulation.
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