Vol. 8 No. 3 Bimonthly issue May - June 2014 MOA Signing in Cagayan de Oro City yphoon Sendong that hit Cagayan de T Oro (CDO) in December 2011 made the area submerged by floods, killed more than 200, hundreds were missing, and thousands of residents were displaced (Sun Star, 2011). In this regard, application of environment and natural resources technologies was conceptualized due to the utmost desire of the ERDB to help typhoon affected areas. Thus, Cagayan de Oro was Dr. Portia G. Lapitan (leftmost), ERDB OIC Director signs the chosen as one of the study sites for the Memorandum of Agreement together with Mayor Oscar Moreno, of project. Cagayan De Oro and Ruth Tawantawan, Regional Executive Director of DENR Region X held on April 21, 2014 at the City Hall of Cagayan In Pagatpat, Cagayan de Oro, a two-hectare De Oro. pilot demonstration area was established in the Community-Based Forest Management To strengthen the project partnership of ERDB area under the People’s Organization (PO), to the PO and the local officials, a MOA signing the Kulago Farmers’ Association. One- was held on April 21, 2014 in front of the City hectare was devoted to agroforestry and (Continued on page 2) another one hectare for bamboo. Next page ERDB Partner Bond Project conducts training in Talim Island larmed by the dwindling source of bamboo in A Talim Island due to environmental degradation, over cutting, and land conversion the ERDB through the PARTNER-BOND Project (Pro-Active Response Towards Nurturing Environmental Relations: A Barangay Outreach Project Based on Community Needs and Demands) conducted the Training on Bamboo Production Technology in Talim Island, Binangonan, Rizal on May 28-29, 2014. Bamboos are utilized in the area either as construction materials, chicken cages, sala set, beds and stools. They are also used by local fisherfolks in their fishcages and fishpens. Moreover, bamboos are processed into barbeque and banana que sticks which is a source of livelihood in the island. For. Gregorio E. Santos, Jr. shows the matured bamboo cuttings to the training participants. The training was participated by 30 all male participants from Barangays Ginoong Sanay and Next page INSIDE: 3 ERDB conducts IEC, launches Barangay Ordinance on Bamboo 4 ERDB researchers win Best Paper Awards 4 “ Island Biodiversity”, this year’s theme on the International Day for Biological Diversity (IDBD) 5 ERDB, ERDS, SUCs and POs converge for provenance trial 6 ERDB conducts interview on bamboo in Region 6 2 Vol. 8 No. 3 ERDB Partner Bond Project… from page 1 resident-cooperators in addressing their primary concern of maintaining their bamboo livelihood activities. In the morning of the first day, For Gregorio E. Santos, Jr. gave lectures on the following topics: a) importance and potentials of bamboo; b) production and maintenance of planting materials in the nursery; c) plantation establishment of bamboo/ kawayan tinik; d) management of bamboo plantations and e) bamboo harvesting. For the afternoon session, Dr. Carlos Garcia tackled the topic on bamboo utilization and preservation. He also introduced new technologies developed by FPRDI (fabricated equipment/machineries) in processing (drying, cutting, and splitting) the bamboo raw materials. After the lectures, the field/hands-on demonstration The participants cutting the bamboo using one node was conducted in Barangay Pinagdilawan. Three cutting procedure. (3) groups were formed to actualize their learning’s – selection of planting materials (one-node cutting), bagging, planting and watering. Around 10-11 Pinagdilawan. These represented the POs newly sown bamboo cuttings were produced by Samahang Mangingisda ng Barangay Ginoong each group. Mr. Edgardo Castillo assisted in doing Sanay and Samahang Mangingisda ng Barangay the activity, though he also extended assistance in Pinagdilawan. The PO from Ginoong Sanay was the lecture cum demonstration of For. Santos’s the most represented PO/barangay with 21 ( 70%) lecture. participants. For the second day, May 29, participants were re- This training aimed to orient and demonstrate to grouped by PO- for the preparation of their PO the participants the ERDB developed technology action plans. Subsequently, presentations and on “propagule production of kawayan tinik”. critiquing of the plans were conducted, for which Learnings from the activity expected to assist Next page MOA Signing… from page 1 monitoring and evaluation. The Kulago Farmers Hall attended by almost 2,000 people Association will provide assistance in the including the local media. The signatories in establishment of the plantation and ensure its the MOA include Dr. Portia G. Lapitan, protection. Further, the LGU shall grant Director of the Ecosystems Research and seedlings for the replanting due to mortality and Development Bureau, Oscar Moreno, City provide assistance in the maintenance of the Mayor of CDO, Ruth Tawantawan, Regional plantation. Executive Director of Region DENR Region X, Dr. Lynlei L. Pintor, Project Leader, Roel After the MOA signing, Mayor Moreno and Gayla, PO President, Rey Mabunay, Director Lapitan both gave their inspirational Barangay Captain of Pagatpat, and Edwin messages to the public. The event ended with Dael, City Environment and Natural the laughter and smile among the audience Resources Officer. when Mayor Moreno asked Director Lapitan to render a song to the CDO citizenry. Before It was stipulated in the MOA that DENR Director Lapitan sang Bahay Kubo, she Region X will establish and maintain the two- stressed that it is deemed necessary to have hectare plantation, collect periodic data on the diversity in the environment. After singing growth increment of planted forest trees, Bahay Kubo, Director Lapitan challenged Mayor bamboo, and fruit trees, and capacitate the Moreno to likewise deliver a song. Mayor Kulago Farmers Association. The ERDB will Moreno sang Osahay, a Visayan love song provide technical assistance, continuously participated by other city officials. Lynlei L. guide the project implementers, and conduct Pintor, UFERD ERDB Info Journal Vol. 8 No. 3 3 ERDB conducts IEC, launches Barangay Ordinance on Bamboo lecture, she emphasized the importance of planting bamboo on steep slope and riverbanks to prevent mudslides and erosion. After the conduct of lecture, the stakeholders were informed about the Barangay Resolution for the protection of the bamboo planted along the riverbank of Mango River. Volunteers were recruited in the community to help in the maintenance of bamboo plantation. The launching of Barangay Resolution No. 10-2014 entitled “Protection and Proper Management of Bamboo Propagation and Bamboo Plantation The participants of the Information Education and Communication (IEC) on bam- for the Rehabilitation of Streambank of boo on April 25, 2014 in Brgy. Burgos, Rodriguez, Rizal. Mango River, Brgy. Burgos, Rodriguez”. Mr. Juan Nelson Cruz, RDB conducted Information Education and Project Coordinator, briefly explained the content of E Communication (IEC) on bamboo in relation to Barangay Resolution. Part of the launching of the the rehabilitation project. The IEC was held at Brgy. Barangay resolution was the signing of “Lagda ng Burgos, Rodriguez, Rizal on April 25, 2014 which Pakikiisa”. It was done among representatives of was spearheaded by Dr. Lynlei L. Pintor. Fifty-two different organizations which served as a participants attended the IEC consisting of symbolical activity for their commitment in the barangay officials, neighborhood associations, civic maintenance and protection of the bamboo and youth organizations, and residents. plantation. The IEC started with a welcome remarks by The closing remarks was delivered by the active MENRO Julieta C. Teschner. In her welcome Project Coordinator, Mr. Cruz, who showed his remarks, she challenged the attendees to support enthusiasm and support to the project. He even the project particularly the typhoon victims. showed samples of bamboo products to encourage Furthermore, she suggested to re-echo to the other and inspire the participants to support the members of their organization the knowledge that maintenance and protection of the project. He they will obtain in the IEC and solicit their ended his message by asking the question “Kayo commitment to the project. po ba ay maasahan ko sa pagtulong sa programang ito?”. Positively all the participants Dr. Pintor presented the lecture on bamboo answered, “Opo, tutulong kami”. Noemi Claudette specifically on its description, status in Asia, and its G. Refran, UFERD economic and environmental significance. In her ERDB Partner Bond Project… from page 2 The ERDB Partner Bond Training team is composed of Ms. Vienna O. Austria, Project For. Santos inputted a number of suggestions. Leader, and Marla V. Cambay, Asst. Project Leader These include the preparation of individual bamboo and Gideon Mendoza, Project Staff. Other ERDB nurseries per household, rehabilitation of the staff who assisted in the training were Teresita bamboo plantations (do some cleaning and Erasga and Gliceria de Guzman while a fertilizer application), practice post harvest activities representative of BFAR-Region 4A based in and the preparation of management plans of their Antipolo City, Mr. James Dizon served as observer. bamboo plantation. The draft actions plans Finally, for the Closing Program, two (2) prepared by the POs focused mainly on the participants gave their impressions on the activity establishment and maintenance of bamboo Next page nurseries and plantation. ERDB Info