Arroyo lauds Cagayan Valley's 'Bantay Gubat'

TUGUEGARAO, Philippines – President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has lauded the Department of Natural Resources (DENR) in Region 2 for its “Bantay Gubat" program designed to fight both poverty and deforestation in the Cagayan Valley area. Forest protection in the past, despite active participation by communities, had little success due to lack of funds and government support. Bantay Gubat, however, has funding support and is expected to generate employment to some 13,000 residents. The number will be parceled out to each province in the region depending on the size of impact areas. Cagayan Valley is composed of the provinces of Batanes, Cagayan, Isabela, Quirino and Nueva Vizcaya. Cagayan and Isabela are among the few remaining provinces in the country with extensive logging activities, but recent incidence of landslides and floodings has sparked calls for a halt to forest destruction. Under Bantay Gubat program, the government will train and hire forest guards from low-income families of communities that are considered as stakeholders or protectors of the environment where they reside. They must belong to the out-of-school youth sector and not more than 30 years old. After training, the deputized forest guards will receive regular government standard wage and are expected to assist regular forest officers in monitoring large expanses of forests in the region. DENR Regional Executive Director Clarence Baguilat disclosed that they have already received more than P12 million from a total of P40 million needed to fund the project based on the 2008 work and financial plan. With the biggest area up for development at more than 56,000 hectares, Baguilat said that the environment agency will have to work closely with local government units to ensure the success of the project. The livelihood programs which are aimed to fortify the protection of the environment include the implementation of the upland agro forestry projects and environment-related programs such as public land survey of ancestral domain. President Arroyo has said she would like to see similar programs duplicated in other regions of the country. - GMANews.TV