ALABEL, Sarangani (March 28, 2011) – As Sangguniang Panlalawigan chair of the committee on environment, Board Member Eleanor Saguiguit suggests to intensify the information-education campaign on how destructive the slash-and-burn farming system is to the environment in her closing remarks Monday, March 28, at the launching of the expansion program of DBP forest. Saguiguit also stressed that the people who are against the construction of a coal-fired power plant in Maasim should know that the massive charcoal production in the province is destructive and contributes more pollution to the environment. (Cocoy Sexcion/SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE)

ALABEL, Sarangani (March 28, 2011) – The Development Bank of the Philippines on Monday (March 28) expanded its forest project with another 400-hectare reforestation area through a memorandum of agreement following a successful partnership with a small project in the province, “I am very pleased to note that our small project multiplied to a bigger coverage,” Senior Vice President Brillo Reynes said in a launching program. With its 36 forest projects in the countryside, the Calminda Watershed has a survival rate of 90 percent according to Reynes. “We hope you will provide the same enthusiasm with the expansion of this project,” Reynes said. Governor Miguel Rene Dominguez said the province started identifying areas for forest rehabilitation immediately after he took office in 2004. Calminda Watershed has a total of 4,701 hectares. With the expansion of the project, the endangered Calminda Watershed ecosystem can be saved and reforested. Mayor Corazon Grafilo and Paraiso barangay captain Lally Lacay assured officials the support of the community. “Today we are happy that we get another grant from DBP and we would like to encourage more private partners,” Dominguez said. Along with the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO), SMART Communications’ Smart Trees, CONAL Holdings’ 7,500 reforestation project in Maasim hinterlands, Rocky Mountain Coffee project in Kiamba, Platinum Rubber Corporation, and Department of Energy’s Environmental Rehabilitation Project are some of the province’s private partners in environment. Paraiso has 77 recipient farmers of the 100-hectare forest project in 2005 who planted fruit bearing trees with a 30-70 DBP-farmer share on harvest. The new memorandum of agreement includes periodic monitoring of the project by the provincial government and DBP, and the DBP to conduct trainings and provide fund for the planting stocks. Reynes also wanted acquisition of farm equipment to ensure farmers’ products to reach the market, establish schools and hospitals. “This is what DBP wants to do. Development is nothing if it does not address the need of the community,” Reynes said. “This is not only about reforestation. We want to alleviate the socio-economic condition of the people and perhaps the local government can build fruit processing plants to really help the farmers,” Senior Assistant Vice President Aurora Maghirang said. “Many people are against the Conal Power Plant, but they do not know it’s the massive charcoal production in town that contributes to the destruction of the environment,” Board Member and Sangguniang Panlalawigan committee chair on environment Eleanor Saguiguit said. “We need a massive information-education campaign to protect our forest. Slash and burn (kaingin) system destroys the natural regeneration of our environment,” Saguiguit said. The Association of Development Financial Institution in Asia and the Pacific (ADFIAP) has awarded DBP in 2005 for its forest program. (Russtum G. Pelima/SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE)