BILAR. – It looks like lowly vendors plying souvenir items for tourists dropping by the national highway where the Bilar-Loboc man-made forest is situated for sight-see remained defiant despite a ban on doing business allegedly imposed by the provincial government.  Worse is that vendors appeared to be being guarded by mere physical presence of the uniformed policemen. In an interview, one of the vendors who did not give her name said that they just do it for a living. But one of them said they do not have a permit from Loboc authorities to do their trade here. The vendors admitted they hail from Loboc while the policemen who guarded the forest highway road are personnel of Bilar town. One of the policemen denied having secured only the vendors, saying they were detailed here to guard the tourists or secure the highway famous for quick-view-stop-over or picture-taking of the man-made forest.

Attention of police chiefs concerned will be called over to find out whether the presence of the policemen is really for security of the area frequented by tourists or for the vendors. In an interview, Nestor Canda, provincial environment and natural resource officer (PENRO), said that vending here is indeed banned in some of the stop-over portions at the man-made forest quoting the order of Gov. Edgar Chatto. He said he stood firm with the governor’s directive to prohibit all forms of trading along the highway traversing the said forest for environmental reasons. He explained that once there’s trading going on here, the next thing to happen is that a lot of vendors will likely flock the area, which is very fragile. Lack of space especially when tourist vans and busses start to make stop-overs will likely complicate the matter. He even said that if he has his way, dropping-by craze by motorized vehicles carrying tourists should be totally prohibited to make environmental preservation and protection efforts effective.

Canda said his office is very much concern over the “plan” of the Protected Area Management Board (PAMB) chaired by DENR regional director for Loboc watershed “to consent to” vending here that would apparently be defying the provincial governor’s order. He said that the PAMB appeared to be “experimenting,” vending in the said area which runs counter to the thrusts of the agency. But there was no final word yet on this “plan,” he said. This looks no good for both sides, he said, saying that if Bohol wants to preserve what is there left it needs to protect them strictly. But he is confident this will be resolved with the help and cooperation of the local government concerned. Loboc Mayor Leon Calipusan said in a separate interview that DENR has the jurisdiction over the area. But he added that the LGU may assist what is best for the forest. He hinted however that it “may be alright” to allow vending at the said place as long as DENR has the final say. He said that what he learned was that some of the vendors who are not all from his town acted on their own without permit. He also confirmed his police force sometimes conduct patrolling the area but some of them coming from Bilar town. Man-made and natural forest within Loboc watershed area is considered by conservationists as having contributed to about 40% forest cover within the watershed’s jurisdiction.