A tripartite agreement between DENR CALABARZON, WawaJVCo, Inc and Tulungan sa Kabuhayan ng Calawis Inc. for the management, maintenance, and rehabilitation of 135 hectares of forest land at Mt. Dumiri, Sitio Apia, Brgy. Calawis, Antipolo, Rizal was signed this month at the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office – Rizal. 

DENR CALABARZON Regional Executive Director Nilo B. Tamoria recognized that the tripartite agreement is a milestone for the implementation of National Greening Program. He shared that the Region has more or less 550,000 hectares of forest land from which 26,000 hectares are in UMRBPL. “Kung tutuusin ‘yong 135 hectares MOA natin ng graduated NGP site ay tuldok lamang sa forest land sa Upper Marikina, pero sabi nga ‘yong tuldok ay nakakapuwing kaya malaking bagay po ang isinagawa nating aktibidad ngayon dahil po ang NGP ay mayroon lamang hangganan ang pondo na ibinibigay ng pamahalaan. Dito po pumapasok ang tulong ng iba’t-ibang sektor. Matapos po ang tatlong taon ay inaasahan po sana natin na tuluy-tuloy na ang paglago ng ating pananim at kagubatan at umaani na ng produkto ang people’s organization,” RED Tamoria said.

In-Charge - PENR Officer of Rizal For. Ernesto Diso explained that the agreement was sealed for the reforestation efforts in Sitio Apia, Brgy. Calawis, Antipolo City within the 200-hectare indigenous species plantation established under NGP CY 2012, and is within the Upper Marikina River Basin Protected Landscape. “Only 135 ha of the 200-hectare 2012 NGP plantation will be adopted by our partners for maintenance and protection purposes which is more or less equivalent to 70,000 replacement seedlings. Hopefully after three years ay makita natin na yumabong na ulit ang ating kabundukan,” For. Diso said.

Meanwhile, Mr. Karl Zapanta, Government Affairs and Public Relations Head of WawaJVCo, pledged to deliver and abide by all the responsibilities and commitment reflected in the MOA. In his speech he said, “in our support to the National Greening Program, instead of planting only 70,000 seedlings, we will be planting 84,000 seedlings.”

Further, continuous monitoring of the progress in the adopted NGP site will be held by the DENR CALABARZON through its Management Services.  

DENR CALABARZON Assistant Regional Director for Technical Services Alfredo C. Palencia also shared the strategies of DENR to ensure higher survival rate of seedlings planted. “Yong mga previously planted NGP sites na tinatawag nating graduated NGP mula 2011 up to 2016, ito po ay inaassess ng ating tanggapan para muling balikan, taniman, alagaan, at i-maintain.” He also challenged the partner People’s Organization to strive to make the adopted site a model NGP area. In doing so, he assured the support of the DENR from its Provincial to its Regional Office. 

Ms. Virginia Bañaga, Chairperson of the Tulungan sa Kabuhayan ng Calawis – a People’s Organization within the identified area, expressed their gratitude to DENR and WawaJVCo for providing a means of livelihood for their organization. She said, “lahat po ay gagawin namin sa aming makakaya dahil malaking tulong po ito sa kabuhayan ng aming grupo – sa grupo ng mga kababaihan at lalo’t higit sa mga miyembro ng mga katutubo. Sana po ay hindi lang kami ang mabigyan ng pribilehiyo kundi marami pa ang ating maging katuwang sa pagpapanumbalik ng kalikasan.” ###