Philippines president orders logging ban

Aquino has blamed the floods on denuded forests that experts say have triggered soil erosion and mudslides.
Thursday’s order bans timber harvesting in forests that are home to indigenous trees. It also creates a task force to enforce the moratorium.
Illegal logging is a recurring problem in the Philippines made possible by weak law enforcement and corruption.
Aquino’s predecessor imposed a nationwide ban in 2004, but it was lifted a year later. He says a logging ban in six southern provinces for the past four years also failed to stop the trade.