DENR awards P1.5M for CNorte Mt. Cadig
Labo, Camarines
Norte - An upland farmer’s cooperative in this town was awarded a
P1.5 million fund assistance for the indigenous tree plantation
project by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)
in Bicol through the Discretionary Fund of Regional Executive
Director Oscar M. Hemada.
The project sought to reforest some 155 hectares cogonal portion
of Mt. Cadig. Mt. Cadig is the natural boundary of Camarines Norte
from Quezon on the southwestern side.
The Guisican Multi-Purpose Cooperative (GMPC) chaired by Punong
Barangay Wilfredo Indionela started the project in June and
committed to plant more than 160,00 seedlings of indigenous trees
before the end of December.
Based on the September accomplishment report the group has planted
60 percent of the area with indigenous and rare species of red and
white lauan, yakal, makaasim, banokbok, dirigkalin, dankalan,
duguang puli at puti, almacega, canela, dapipakak, papait, and
malabahi.
Based on DENR studies, Mt. Cadig is the only place in the province
with a complete bio-diversity. It’s the site of the hidden
grandeur of Busig-on Falls, exotic birds, rare orchids, the Cadig
Cave, and spring-source of Busigon River. It is also the domicile
of the lone Philippine Eagle sighted in this part of the Sierra
Madre Ranges.
Indonesia reported that the efforts of the GMPC to reforest Mt.
Cadig with indigenous tree species started in 2003 with the
Philippine Federation for Environment Concerns (PREC), a
Manila-based NGO funding the plantation of 15 hectares. The
premier project was made not only to rehabilitate, protect, and
preserve the place but to provide livelihood for Bihugs or the
Aetas.
In 2004, recognizing the succes of the strategy of the PFEC and
the GMPC, DENR Bicol regional director Oscar Hemada contracted
GMPC to establish the first stage of the Mt. Cadig indigenous Tree
Plantation with P600,000 initial fund for 50 hectares.
GMPC is also engaged in upland fishpond, citronella production,
fruit production and organic rice farming.
