[Midtirm Report] Environmental Regeneration of Lakons for Livelihood Development 2022-2023 (October 2022)

Duration of the Project: April 2022 - March 2023
Project Site: Tadian, Mountain Province, Philippines
Partner Agencies: Municipality of Tadian Agriculture Office(MAO). Environment and Natural Resources Office(MENRO), St. Michael and All Angels Church (SMAA), Tadian Municipal Police Station, Barangays in Tadian
Grant: AEON Environment Foundation, Japan
Person in Charge : Mhyra P. Seset

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People in Tadian, Mt. Province established a Lakon(or Batangan) system to improve and develop the lands into forested areas. It’s a kind of woodlands ownership under private individuals, clans, families, churches, schools, and the community. This forest/land management system will ensure that the forested area and watershed are maintained and sustained for the source of fuelwood, timber, and other forest products. Customary timber harvesting and planting laws were imposed for the Lakon owners to respect and practice.

This forest/land management system was recognized by the DENR and implemented in the community of Tadian. Yet, due to the rapid growth of population, people are engaging in agricultural and infrastructural development that causes exploitation of the Lakons. Forest fires, illegal logging, and swidden farming are the main causes of the environmental issues in the Lakons of Tadian that may result in deforestation if not minimized. Information education in Lakon/Batangan system must be conducted. Adaption of Agroforestry and Enhancement tree planting can be tools to sustain and balance the community’s demand and the need of the Lakons to regenerate.

The project entitled “Environmental Regeneration of Lakons for Livelihood Development” is to help in enhancing forest covers for the protection and productivity of the Lakon. It is implemented in Tadian, Mt. Province by Cordillera Green Network, Inc(CGN). and funded by AEON Environmental Foundation, Japan. This project is in partnership with the Office of Tadian Municipal Agriculture (MAO) and Environmental and Natural Resources (MENRO)and started on May 2022 until March 2023.

Accomplishment

1. Acceptance of the project

On May 18, 2022, the approved project to be implemented in Tadian community was formally presented and discussed by the CGN team to MAO Officer Ms. Aida Sulipa, MENRO Officer Mr. Melchor Micklay, TMPC Manager, and Mr. Bentor Ganado. The discussion was about the regeneration of the Lakons and the continuation of the establishment of coffee-based Agroforestry in the community. The team of the three parties will accomplish the project’s objectives (CGN-Tadian LGU-Tadian community). Project schemes, duration, and activities were included in the discussion. Also, each team's responsibilities for the project implementation were tackled. With thorough assessment and consultations, the project was accepted by MAO and MENRO officers, who promised to support the project for its success.

2. Plantation Site Assessments

Proposed Lakons for the projects were assessed by CGN team with MAO Officer on May 18 – 19, 2022. Mostly visited Lakons are for coffee farm expansions. For other proposed plantation sites, Ms. Sulipa, Mr. Micklay and Mr. Ganado did the assessments and visitations on the month of May – June 2022. The assessment is necessary to conduct before tree planting for tree species suitability. 

3. Delivery of Planting Stocks

Planting stocks procured for the project are 10,700 Arabica Coffee (Coffea arabica) seedlings, 3,000 Narra (Ptericarpus indicus) seedlings, 500 Rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum) seedlings, 200 Tuai (Bischovia javanica) seedlings, 2,000 Alnus (Alnus japonica) seedlings and 2,000 Benguet Pine (Pinus kesiya). Delivery of seedlings was started on July 09, 2022 with 700 Catimor Coffee seedlings from BACOFA Nursery, Baayan, Tublay, Benguet; 3,000 Narra; 200 Tuai and 500 Rambutan seedlings procured in Roadside Nursery at Diadi, Nueva Vizcaya.

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The 700 coffee seedlings were distributed to 7 individuals in Tue while the Rambutan 100 seedlings were given to Tue Elementary School. One hundred eighty-four coffee seedlings were distributed to Kayan West Elementary School, and 145 seedlings were distributed to 12 beneficiaries in Tue Barangay, and 60 seedlings were donated to the PNP Tadian personnels. The 3,000 Narra and 100 Tuai seedlings were delivered to and cared for by MENRO office, which were equally distributed to eight (8) barangays of Tadian (Bunga, Tue, Poblacion, Balaoa, Kayan West, Kayan East, Lubon, Mabalite).

 2,000 Alnus seedlings and 2,000 Benguet Pine seedlings were purchased from Bontoc Provincial Nurseries at Bontoc, Mt. Province, and delivered to Tadian on July 16, 2022. They were distributed to SMAA (400) and three beneficiaries in Tue, one beneficiary in Balaoa, and two beneficiaries each in Poblacion and Cabunagan. MENRO distributed 700 Alnus seedlings to the eight barangays of Tadian (Bunga, Tue, Poblacion, Balaoa, Kayan West, Kayan East, Lubon, Mabalite).

Meanwhile, 10,000 Catimor seedlings were purchased in MPSPC nursery, which was raised by the College of Agriculture and Forestry, MPSPC, Tadian, under the supervision/ project of PhilCafe. It was distributed to the beneficiaries of Tue (18), Balaoa (5), Cabunagan (6), Poblacion (12), Kayan West (1), Maket-an (2), Malupa (2), Tadian on August 26 and September 23 - 24, 2022.

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A total of 57 beneficiaries, composed of 53 individuals, 2 schools, 1 parish church, and the MENRO Office, who directly distributed by the CGN.

4.Tree Planting and Establishment of Coffee-based Agroforestry

Tree planting, as one of the main activities of the project, was conducted concurrently with the facilitation of MAO and MENRO officer and Mr. Ganado. For the Coffee-based Agroforestry farm establishment, Coffee tree planting was never fun for the farmers because of the laborious preparation. The coffee growers are experiencing them, but because of the good potential of coffee for livelihood and the environment, 45 individuals were motivated and became beneficiaries of the project. Beneficiaries prepare the plantation site upon receiving the seedlings and start to plant in the last week of July and to be finished this October 2022 in their Lakon.

For SMAA, coffee seedlings and Alnus seedlings were planted by the parishioners and parish staff on the first to the third week of August 2022, assisted by Ms. Kitau, TMPC manager. The Lakon of SMAA is wide, and they proposed to utilize it in a recreational area like a forest park. As part of the development of the site, coffee trees were planted to help in landscape structure at the same time for the parish to have a Coffee Agroforestry farm while Alnus will nitrify the soil for the coffee and other plants to grow robustly.

Tadian people always practice this in every community work called "Garatis”. It is similar to UBUBO or Alluyon, but the difference is that in every household, one member of the family in the community is mandated to attend or join the activity. This practice in the community shows the cooperation and unity of the people. This is also one of the reasons why some of the projects implemented were successfully carried out because of this custom in the barangay. It is another traditional habit to be preserved and passed on to the future generation in working community development.

Garatis was applied during the tree planting on July 26, 2022, at Batangan, Kayan West, Tadian. Two hundred fifty assorted seedlings (Narra - 150, Tuai – 50, and Alnus – 50) were planted by the energetic groups of Kayan West Barangay Officials, Barangay Health Workers, Barangay Tanods, SK and KK members, PNP Personnel from 1st MPPMFC and CAFGUs from Kadso Patrol Base. The area planted is one of the Lakons of Kayan West Elementary, which is the source of fuelwood and timber and has a water spring for the community. Planted seedlings are intendedly for the enrichment of forest trees, sustainability of water sources, and stabilization of the sinking part in the lower side of the school. 

Meanwhile, Kayan West Elementary School did its share by planting 180 Rambutan seedlings within the vicinity of the schools with the parents and pupils on August 11, 2022. And in the other side, the barangay of Kayan East availed 500 Narra seedlings planted in the Lakon of Holy Rosary High School by the active participation of high school students and Barangay Officials on September 30, 2022. 

Barangay Tue, Tadian also performed Garatis system in planting their communal land. Planted seedlings are 400 Narra, and 100 Benguet Pine. These seedlings were used to replant mortalities and to enrich forest species in the communal land. The active participation of the community, the team of Philippine National Police-Tadian, Tawid Addaan Organization, and Barangay officials made the activity successful on July 23, 2022. At the same time, Tue Elementary School (TES) planted 115 Rambutan seedlings in the school’s backyard by the PTA Officers and TES faculty staff on the first week of July 2022.

Seedlings of Benguet Pine delivered in the MENRO office were used during the SIPAT 36TH anniversary, Nationwide Simultaneous Tree Planting Activity spearheaded by the DILG and supported by DENR, DA, and MENRO- Tadian. Accordingly, they planted the PEPO areas of Tadian, Mt. Province (Cadad-anan, Lenga, and Dacudac) on September 13, 2022, with the group of BFP - Tadian personnel, PNP-Tadian personnel, Barangay Officials, and the communities, a total of 75 individuals who participated in the said activity.

Another successful joint tree planting activity happened on July 24, 2022, at Sitio Nabitic of Barangay Duagan, Tadian, which was organized by Tadian Municipal Police Station personnel thru the adoption of a Community and Service-Oriented Policing (CSOP) system involving the Community and the Police along with the ongoing month-long celebration of the 27th Police Community Relation (PCR). Six hundred (600) seedlings of Narra were planted by the joint force of Tadian MPS and active Barangay officials and constituents of Barangay Duagan and Masla, Tadian, Mt. Province. While on August 13, 2022, at Tabeyo, Tadian, Barangay officials of Poblacion and Balaoa partnered to plant the area with 200 Benguet Pine seedlings. This activity is to sustain the forest cover of Tabeyo and the watershed.
During the onset of tree planting season (September), three barangays also conducted simultaneous tree planting within the barangay communal forest/area and watershed. Barangay Bunga planted 60 seedlings (20 Narra, 20 Alnus, and 20 Tuai); in Barangay Lubon they planted 130 Alnus seedlings, 375 Benguet Pine, 510 Narra with a total of 1,015 seedlings; and 1,020 seedlings which composed of 125 Alnus, 375 Benguet Pine, and 520 Narra were planted at Barangay Mabalite. This activity was made possible through the “Garatis” of the whole community.
And to continue strengthening the police and community relation and helping in promoting a healthier environment, the Tadian MPS availed 300 Narra and 30 Tuai seedlings for them to plant in their chosen community during the next tree planting season.

4. Procurement of Nursery Materials and fertilizers

Nursery materials were procured on October 08, 2022, at Sunrise Trading, La Trinidad, Benguet, and delivered at Poblacion, Tadian. The recipient is the SMAA parish, and parishioners will be the ones to construct the nursery and raise coffee seedlings for the next planting season. Bio-organic fertilizers were also distributed to 46 coffee growers on October 08, 2022.