The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in Region 6 through its Forestland Management Project (FMP) under the Provincial ENR Office-Iloilo led the turnover ceremony of the 6 Agroforestry Support Facilities (ASF) with a total funding of more than Php97 million on February 23, 2023.
The ASFs include the Quipot Reinforced Concrete Deck Girdle (RCDG) Bridge (Php37M), Atimonan Hanging Bridge (Php5M), Barasalon Hanging Bridge Unit 2 (Php6M), Aglobong Irrigation Pipeline System (Php17M), Barasalon Hanging Bridge Unit 1 (Php11M), and Quipot-Barasalon Pathway Phase 1 (Php18M).
The ASF is one of the components of the Forestland Management Project that began in 2012. The municipality of Janiuay got the lion’s share with ASFs distributed to upland barangays. The rest are in the municipalities of Calinog and Lambunao.
DENR 6 Regional Executive Director Livino B. Duran hopes that the stakeholders and the project beneficiaries will continue to maintain what the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and ther department has provided them.
“The DENR hopes that you will take good care our projects because this will be the start also of the preparation of other projects. Meaning, we will not end here but this is the start of our development and this generations of younger officials will now continue what we have started. We do hope this will be taken care of, as well as the other investments we have in our upland areas,” RED Duran said.
“Since the start of the FMP in year 2012, we have seen a lot on changes in this area, [Janiuay] with the help of our partners, especialy the Japan International Cooperative Agency (JICA) and the Philippine Government,” said Assistant Regional Director for Technical Services Raul L. Lorilla said as he gave a brief background of the FMPs completed ASF projects.
Janiuay Vice Mayor Corel Hannah Locsin welcomed the partners and other stakeholders in the turn over ceremony. Locsin also thanked those who helped them realize the projects.
“The potential of our forestlands lies with the bridges and the roads that connect our upland folks to the Poblacion. This, in turn, could connect tourists to the mountains, and that connect all of us. During our time, we have walked kilometers, we have walked it with our feet. Now we can ride motorcycles to get to our tourist destinations. The potential of our people in earning more livelihood from tourism will become a reality, it is not a dream anymore,” Vice Mayor Locsin said.
JICA Senior Representative Ide Sochiro emphasized the importance of the facilities in improving the access to the forest plantations.
“These facilities are important in improving access to the newly established forest plantations and in achieving FMP’s objectives of increasing the country’s forest cover and improving forest conservation and socio-economic situation in upland areas. This project started in 2012 in partnership with the DENR, for the past 10 years we have achieved important milestones,” Sochiro said.
The PO Presidents also gave their acceptance messages as they will now be responsible for the management and maintenance of the turned-over infrastructures, together with the municipal government. (DENR-6)
