ALABEL, Sarangani (November 29, 2011) – Trekkers promote eco-tourism by exploring Sarangani’s potential tourist spots at the 1st MunaTo EcoTrek last weekend. They also advocate the protection of the province’s natural resources and drumbeat sustainable development in the local community. The trek was participated in by 13 mountaineering clubs and freelancers from Kabacan, Cotabato; Tupi, South Cotabato; Koronadal City, General Santos City and Sarangani. A total of 80 mountaineering enthusiasts conquered Atnayan Falls during the weekend. (Ariel Lalisan/SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE)

ALABEL, Sarangani (November 29, 2011) – Mountaineers listen as Carmela Lumantas of Madyaw Alabel Mountaineers explains how the tree-planting activity was to be carried out. They planted acacia, mahogany, and Spanish cedar saplings at sitio New Canaan, barangay Pag-asa as part of the 1st MunaTo EcoTrek during the weekend. (Ariel Lalisan/SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE)

By COCOY SEXCION MAASIM, Sarangani (November 21, 2011) – Governor Migs Dominguez, Mayor Jose Zamorro and Joel Aton of Sarangani Energy Corporation had a turnover of seedlings to the Municipal Tribal Council here for distribution to indigenous people (IP) families living in the upland barangays of Nomoh, Kablacan and Amsipit. The seedlings would be planted to boost the watershed development program of the municipality. In a turnover rites Monday (November 21) at the municipal grounds during the flag raising ceremony, officials said thousands of seedlings were set for planting this year. “For the remaining months of this year, we will be distributing a total of 17,500 seedlings of rubber, coconut, jackfruit and coffee to 50 families from Barangays Nomoh, Amsipit and Kablacan,” said Joel Aton, project assurance manager of Sarangani Energy Corporation (SEC). “This is part of the commitment of Sarangani Energy Corporation to rehabilitate watersheds and to provide livelihood support to Maasim highlanders and tribal communities and each family will receive seedlings good for one hectare which can provide an added income of around P3,000 to P5,000 pesos a month upon reaching its productive stage,” Aton added The project was supported by the provincial and municipal government, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Philippine National Police, 73rd Infantry Battalion and Alcantara Foundation. “I know this project will change the life of our people. The tribal people will cooperate and support this project because we know that this project will give us some livelihood and at the same time will help us restore all the forests that are gone in the mountain,” Municipal Tribal Council chief Benjamin Donato said. Mayor Jose Zamorro also urged his constituents to plant trees. “Supposed to be, we Maasimians are the ones who should initiate this reforestation project. This is everybody’s concern. For me, the only solution to the problem of global warming is plant more trees. So I thank SEC for this project,” the mayor said. On the other hand, Vice Mayor Utto Salem Cutan appealed to those who are against the construction of the 200-megawatt coal-fired power plant of Sarangani Energy Corporation in Maasim set for its groundbreaking this November 25, to just give them a chance to welcome and embrace investments and development for their municipality. (Cocoy Sexcion/SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE)

MAASIM, Sarangani (November 21, 2011) – Joel Aton (extreme left), Sarangani Energy Corporation (SEC) project assurance manager; Noli Cajutol, SEC consultant on carbon sink project (4th left); and Governor Migs Dominguez turnover planting materials to the Maasim Municipal Tribal council during the ceremonial turnover for the 17,500 seedlings of coffee, jackfruit, rubber and coconut for the Maasim watershed development project. The reforestation and livelihood project is initiated by SEC and supported by the provincial and municipal government, 73rd Infantry Battalion and Alcantara Foundation. Also in photo are (from right) Seven Hills Barangay Captain Edwin Reducto, Nomoh Barangay Captain Lazarus Limpong, Kanalo Barangay Captain Jumbra Tama, Vice Mayor Uttoh Salem Cutan and Mayor Jose Zamorro. (Cocoy Sexcion/SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE)

MAASIM, Sarangani (November 11, 2011) – Students of Maasim Technical and Competence Center participate in the Mangrove Planting and Growing Activity at barangay Tinoto Friday, November 11. The activity was initiated by the Alcantara Foundation, Inc., Alcantara Group of Companies, Sarangani Energy Corp. and the municipal environment office. (Abner Arzaga/MAASIM NEWS CENTRAL)

MAASIM, Sarangani (November 11, 2011) – from left, Mayor Jose Zamorro, Sarangani Energy Corp. assurance manager Joel Aton and Alcantara Foundation executive director Richlie Lyndon Magtulis participate in the Mangrove Planting & Growing Activity at barangay Tinoto Friday, November 11. (Abner Arzaga/MAASIM NEWS CENTRAL)

MAASIM, Sarangani (November 11, 2011) – Alcantara Foundation project officer Jean delos Santos and Mayor Jose Zamorro plant a mangrove seedling at barangay Tinoto Friday, November 11. The activity was initiated by the Alcantara Foundation, Inc., Alcantara Group of Companies, Sarangani Energy Corp. and the municipal environment office. (Abner Arzaga/MAASIM NEWS CENTRAL)

Kalamansig, Sultan Kudarat — Two years after planting, close to a hundred thousand mangrove seedlings at about four feet high are now teeming with greens covering the erstwhile nude and muddy 20-hectare shoreline.

The community considered it a major make-over after the place was hit by a tidal wave, converted to fishpond and was abandoned.

“This is the result of the concerted efforts of our alliance,” said Romeo Ebanada, president of Alliance Mangrove People’s organization.
The “Alliance” is a cluster of four peoples’ organization (PO) formed to manage the 42-hectare mangrove rehabilitation comprising the PO from barangays Lapyahan, Buenaflores, Bantogon and Labak.
The other 22 hectares in close canopy only underwent enrichment planting to recover the original density since it has rehabilitated through natural process in the past years.

Most of the species planted in the sandy and muddy loam include Bakauan (Rhizophora spp.), Bungalon (Avicennia marina), and Pagatpat (Sonneratia alba).

Mangrove forests as life support system is a powerhouse resources critical for natural breeding and nursery area for many economically known important marine animals like fish, crab, shrimp and other crustaceans. It also protects the shoreline from big waves wind and flood.

The project was implemented under the Natural Resources Management (NRM) component of the Department of Agriculture – Mindanao Rural Development (DA-MRDP) in partnership with local government unit (LGU) of Kalamansig.

“As NRM targets upland to coastal conservation, the mangrove rehabilitation is one of the four major interventions implemented in our town as it needs attention,” said municipal NRM focal Dexter Posadas.

“The mangrove rehabilitation site covered a relatively large area, so to instill ownership of the project from the community we decided to form them into one organization, the alliance,” he said.

The project was earmarked over P2 million which is part of the total P7 million NRM project of the town. The L

GU put in 10 percent counterpart, another 10 percent from the national government, and 80 percent from the loan portfolio of the World Bank.

“On our latest count we have at least 97,559 live seedlings from the 133,340 hills we planted which is about 73% survival rate. The PO are due to plant in the coming days when they gather enough propagules,” said Posadas.

“Before, my family plants mangrove behind our house near the seacoast because we know those trees protect us from strong winds,” said the Pagadian-born Ebanada.

Ebanada said that when he arrived to the place in 1972 as employee of the Sta. Clara Lumber Corp. there was a thick mangrove forest and fish population was very abundant.

“Fish was very abundant and the mangrove forest was really thick but when the lumber company closed many of us were unemployed and resorted to farming, fishing and other livelihood activities,” he said.

He also recalled in 1976, gigantic waves hit the Moro gulf and devastated many areas including a sizable area in Kalamasig.

“Some of the residents died during that tragic even but the biggest damage we saw was the coastal area left bare. Mangrove trees were uprooted and washed out,” said Ebanada.

For a long time, there were no serious rehabilitation activities done.

“When the area was made into fishponds, some mangrove trees were also cut. Plus many residents also made use of mangrove as firewood,” he said adding: “this contributed to the steady decline of the mangrove trees.”

“With the MRDP project came, many were skeptic, saying it would just be ‘another government project that would just die down,” he said.

“But this was different,” he added.

MRDP designed the project to be implemented by POs in close coordination with the LGU.

The PO members were paid for the seedling or mangrove propagules they produce and were hired as workhand for the planting and other activities.

“We earned extra income from the project. So, we understood that as we are the beneficiaries of the project, the activity also augments our income,” Ebanada said, adding:

“This manner made it easy for us to accept and make the project our own.”

The alliance underwent at least five technical trainings on mangrove rehabilitation management which Ebanada said made them more capable in handling the project.

“Another thing I appreciate about the project is that there is close mentoring and monitoring. We were capacitated, technical personnel like Mr. Jhonny Pangud of DENR Region 12 and from other agencies assisted us,” Ebanada said.

Innovations.
To secure the area, the four presidents of the alliance were identified to be “wardens.”

The wardens monitor the project on a regular basis and put bamboo markers beside each plant to identify the spot has been planted. This made the monitoring of mortality relatively easy and the replacement the propagules quick.

“We also fenced the area with old nets and bamboo to prevent stray animals especially goats from eating on the l

eaves of the seedlings,” Ebanada said.

They also sought the support of barangay council which in response issued an ordinance penalizing owne

rs of stray animal that disturbs the rehabilitation site.

“But the most difficult problem we had was barnacles infestation,” Ebanada said.

The barnacle (marine organism of the class Cirripedia that tend to live in shallow and tidal waters) are deposited in the stems of the mangrove. Once there it will hamper the proper distribution of distribution on the growing seedling which will eventually cause the plant to wither.

“We scraped the barnacles from the each seedling but we have to be extra careful not to scratch the body of the seedling as it also caused for the seedling to die,” he said.

Ebanada said he is glad to be part of the project as this could be a legacy he can live to his grandchildren.

“I know my grandchildren will be proud of me being the leader of this successful project. And I want to instill in them the love and care for our environment,” said the 60-year old community leader.

GLAN, Sarangani (October 9, 2011) – Vice Governor Steve Chiongbian Solon points out in his message the environment battlecry of her grandmother, former Governor Priscilla Chiongbian, to “Bring Back Life, Bring Back the Fish and the Trees” in his inspirational message to protect Glan’s natural resources and boost tourism promotion during the 97th foundation day of the town Saturday, October 8. (Ritchie Tongo/SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE)

GLAN, Sarangani (October 5, 2011) – Tourists enjoy the scenic view of Sarangani Bay from Kikay’s Beach Resort, one of the low-priced resorts but with a WiFi service, as the sun sets Wednesday, October 5. The resort’s coast is guarded by century-old mangroves against big waves that occasionally hit typhoon-free Sarangani. Kikay’s Beach Resort is in sitio Nacolil, barangay Lago in Glan. (Cocoy Sexcion/SARANGANI INFORMATIONOFFICE)