With the implementation of the Forestland Management Project (FMP), the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in Region 6 intent to bring clean water and access road to reach the far flung barangays of Cabatangan and Panuran in the town of Lambunao, Iloilo province.
Groundbreaking ceremonies of Irrigation Pipeline System (IPS) and farm-to-market road access were recently conducted in Lambunao town, which aim to improve the agricultural and socio-economic conditions by bringing farm produce from upland areas to markets.
Officers and members of the Asosasyon sang Manugproteher sang Kabukiran sang Lambunao, Inc. (AMAKAN), DENR 6’s accredited PO partner for the FMP implementation, were grateful for the Irrigation Pipeline System (IPS) groundbreaking ceremony that was conducted at Brgy. Cabatangan, Lambunao.
Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO) Iloilo staff, Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) Barotac Nuevo staff, Supervising Site Management Office (SUSIMO) Lambunao, Provincial Management Office (PMO) staff, People’s Organization (PO) AMAKAN officials and members, local government unit (LGU) and Philippine Army 12th Infantry Battalion also graced the said activity.
The project costs over P36 million for a physical target of 27,069 linear meters and set to be completed on January 2, 2022. The water system will provide support for the sustainable livelihood of the upland dwellers.
Meanwhile, officials and members of another DENR 6 PO Partner, Panuran Integrated Social Forestry Farmers Association, Inc. (PISFFAI), witnessed the conduct of the groundbreaking ceremony of the Panuran Access Road that will link the barangay proper to Sitio Aguilan and Sitio Tabulwang of Lambunao. The access road, when completed, will have a total length of 3.52 kilometers that costs over P33 million.
The groundbreaking ceremony for the Panuran Access Road was led by Iloilo OIC PENR Officer Salvador “Jun” C. Manglinong, Jr., Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor, Jr., Lambunao Municipal Mayor Reynor R. Gonzales, and FMP Provincial Focal Person Antonio Latoza, Jr. Also present during the event were employees of PENRO Iloilo, CENRO Barotac Nuevo, Supervising Site Management Office (SUSIMO) of Janiuay and Lambunao, officials and members of the People’s Organizations (POs) called Panuran Tasik Upland Farmers Association (PATUFA), Inc. and Aglobong Upland Farmers Association (AGUFA), Inc., barangay officials and the Philippine Army 12th Infantry Battalion.
Farm-to-market access roads will help communities in transporting agro products to sustain their livelihood and alleviate poverty through education of the upland dwellers.
“These projects will improve the lives of the people in our upland communities through convenient water supply and accessible roads. DENR 6 also aims for the progress of the region but without the need to sacrifice or destroy our natural resources. As such, our forests will become sustainable and our natural resources will be abundant if people are good stewards of the environment,” said Francisco E. Milla, Jr., DENR 6 regional executive director.
The Forestland Management Project (FMP) aims to strengthen forestland management in three critical river basins in the country, namely: Upper Magat and Cagayan, Upper Pampanga, and Jalaur. Its implementation is being done through collaborative and comprehensive Community-Based Forest Management strategies. It also aims to improve forest conservation and socio-economic conditions of beneficiaries/communities as well as to contribute in disaster risk mitigation efforts of vulnerable areas. (DENR–6)
