QUESTION: Cmdr John, they say it is illegal logging that caused the devastation in Mindanao. What can you say about this?
ANSWER: Housing is one of the primary needs of human being. Man cannot live without house. There are six layers of housing materials according to budget.
(1) VERY POOR - Grass or Nipa roof, bamboo structure, whatever lumber available nearby by self harvesting, forget the flooring.
(2) POOR - Nipa roof, coco lumber structure, whatever wood available nearby by self-harvesting, forget the flooring.
(3) LOWER MIDDLE CLASS - Ordinary galvanized roof, whatever wood available in market, wood or bamboo flooring.
(4) MIDDLE CLASS - Galvanized roof, wood and cement structure, cemented floor.
(5) UPPER MIDDLE CLASS - Galvanized roof, cement and steel structure, ceramic tile floor.
(6) RICH - Galvanized or brick roof, cement and steel structure, marble floor, first class wood finish and furnishings.
ANALYSIS
Mindanao is homeland of 2 million impoverished households. The poor consume so much wood for housing and cooking fuel.
As long as poverty persists, no one can stop the Mindanaoans from harvesting their trees. When you talk about illegal loggingin Mindanao, you are talking about more than a million violators, halos lahat mahihirap.
After Sendong destroyed their houses, they have to build new houses. It means there is going to be a surge in demand for lumber, more trees is going to be cut. All the tree cutting for the past 20 years, they are all gonna harvest such huge volume in 2012 to be able to rebuild.
