kasikas january-june 2014
DESCRIPTION
ÂTRANSCRIPT
Butuan City-- The Protected Area Management Board in Carascal Surigao del Sur has endorsed the application of the
Agyan Clan to exclude an ancestral land area within the proclaimed 43601 hectares -Critical Watershed Forest Reserves of Surigao
del Sur and Agusan del Norte for the Minahan ng Katutubo of the Manobo and Mamanwa tribal Communities
The area of 5416 hectares being asked to be excluded is part of the Ancestral Domain of the Manobo and Mamanwa tribes
within the proclaimed Watershed Forest Reserve This area covers Barangays Bayog Cabangahan Cabas-an and Panikian in Madrid
Cantilan and Carascal in Surigao del Sur
The PAMB voted a majority 11-3 from its members during a recent meeting presided over by DENR-13 Regional Director
Nonito M Tamayo held at a resort restaurant in Cantilan Surigao del Sur The PAMB took several months to come with the
endorsement considering the environmental pressure of the small-scale mining operation on a critical watershed area
But the community of the Manobos and the Mamanwas to which the Agyan belong have assured the members of the PAMB
and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources that it would put safety nets to protect the watershed in the area
DENR-13 Regional Director Nonito M Tamayo said he brought the issue to the PAMB members ldquoowing to its sensitivity
to the environment over the rights of the indigenous people like the Agyan clanrdquo
Among the PAMB members who were present at the meeting are the Provincial Administrator of Surigao del Sur
Efren E Rivas the Vice Mayor of Carrascal Alfred B Arreza the President of the Baywatch Inc Emmma Y Hotchkiss the Baran-
gay Captain of Bayogo Carrascal Benjamin A Tindogan the tribal chiefs Panchito Gonzales of Cabangahan Benjamin T Adjawon
of Lobo Perinal Grol of Bayogo Pegenio TAmpo of Madrid the Barangay chairmen of Cabas-an Agustin D Buisa Juan Intano
of Pinikitan Mamer D Ating of Cacabangahan George Arreza of LGU Cantilan Chito U Tril-
lanes of Vicareate Social Action and Charlene G Binghoy
of the NCIP
The Agyan clan had been expecting the PAMB endorsement
since it applied on October 09 2012 It was submitted to Secretary
Ramon JP Paje but the DENR Chief of Staff Annaliza Rebuelta-Teh
referred it back to the PAMB for further evaluation and completion of
the required documents It also noted Agyanrsquos application made
before the watershed was proclaimed on March 2009 by the President
Gloria Macapagal Arroyo
Barangay Captain Benjamin A Tindugan of Bayogo
Carrascal Surigao del Sur said the area is considered a potential min-
ing area as determined by the NCIP The IPs he said has rights to
develop its domain ldquo to benefit and share the profits from allocation
and utilization of the natural resources found thereinrdquo based on the
NCIP Act 8731
Late last year the DENR-13 through the Land Survey
Division and the former Protected Areas and Wildlife and Coasta
Zone Management Services personnel have tried to conduct the
characterization and assessment of the natural resources in the said
ancestral area being contested by the Agyan clan but they were
prevented from pursuing their tasks further by the tribal people over
a minor issue when it failed to asked the tribal leader for his consent
Director Tamayo said the different tribal leaders in the area
have been asked to protect and preserve the natural resources within
their ancestral domain which they have upheld for generation after
generations
2014 1st Semester EDITION
Getting the job done for NGP
20
Surigao del Sur IPrsquos request gets PAMB endorsement
By Ma Catherine Gonzaga
KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN January to June 2014
KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN 19 KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN 2
We are celebrating June as the Environment Month
This month is considered special to all of us who care for the preservation and
protection of our environment and natural resource This yearly celebration was estab-
lished by virtue of proclamation No 237 signed by President Corazon C Aquino in 1988
of which the DENR has been mandated to lead this celebration
The DENR has lined up various activities to give meaning to the celebration and
stimulate awareness to the people of the environment in the face of challenges of the global
climate changes
On June 5 the United Nations and the more than 100 countries in the world
celebrate the World Environment Day to stimulate worldwide awareness of the environ-
ment and encourage political attention and action
The theme of the World Environment Day ldquo Small Islands and Climate Change
Raise your voice not the sea levelrdquo is very much appropriate at this time that we are expe-
riencing the effects of the global climate change
June 5 serves also as the rsquorsquo peoplersquos dayrsquorsquo for doing something positive for the
environment concreting individual actions into a collective power that generates an
exponential positive impact on the planet The declaration of the United Nations
General Assembly for 2014 as the Year of Small Islands Developing States is aim
to celebrate the contribution of this group of countries and territories has made in the
world These small islands are home to vibrant and distinct cultures and heritage as
well as to rich ecosystems biodiversity and dazzling landscapes
These small islands faced with many environmental challenges brought about by Climate change Rising ocean levels is threaten ing
to wipe out if not reduce small islands into smaller pieces of lands Melting ice and the expansion of the oceans which both due to global
warming are the causes of sea level rise
Philippines is an archipelago with 7107 islands and though we do not fall under the category of small island states some islands in
the country is at high risk from rising seas particularly those villages that are situated in the low lying areas We are also confronted
with the problem about waste management We seem to care less of throwing our waste without segregating it and with the p roblem of
land space to dispose solid and liquid waste it would seem to take little time before we are literally buried in trash
It is good for us that the President and DENR through the leadership of Secretary Ramon JP Paje have timely implemented
the nationwide National Greening Program ( NGP )on February 2011 as a strategy to cushion the impact of climate change tho ugh
out the country The purpose of the NGP is to plant 15 billion trees in 15 million hectares of forest lands nationwide F rom 2011 to 2013
some 683069 hectares of the NGP sites or 46 percent of the 15 million hectare target have been planted with more than 1 2 million jobs
generated For 2014 the NGP has targeted to produce 164 million seedlings and plant them in the different parts of the coun try covering
300000 hectares
We can make our voices be heard for the environment as we celebrate the Environment Month The call this year is to recognize that
we all face the same challenges and are connected and united by our common goal of a sustainable and prosperous life for all on this plan-
et The call is to raise our voice in solidarity with one another particularly with the people of the small islands Whet her it is to organize
clean up campaigns tree planting plastic bans art exhibits recycling drives social media campaigns and others mdashevery action counts
LET OUR VOICES BE RAISED NOT THE SEA LEVEL
NONITO M TAMAYO CESO IV
OIC Regional Director
DENR -13
The Serior Management Staff of Regional Director Nonito M Tamayo DENR 13 ( From left sitting ) PENRO Rosendo Asunto Surigao del Sur
OICPENRO Zaldy Perater Surigao del Norte RD Tamayo OICRTD for FMS Maritess M Ocampo OICRTD for ERDS and PAWCZMS
Ronilo Salac and OIC PENRO Roberto A Oliveros of Agusan del Sur Not in photo is OICPENRO Paterno B Olivera Agusan del Sur
( At the back from left standing ) OICCENRO Cliff C Abraham Surigao City OIC CENRO Norman Asugan Nasipit Agusan del Norte
Eleazar S Alaira OIC CENRO Bayugan Agusan del Sur OIC CENRO Michael Montalban Bislig Surigao del Sur OIC CENRO Melvin Bustilla
San Franz Agusan del Sur OIC CENRO Federico A Senoc Jr Tandag Surigao del Sur OIC CENRO Luis Gonzaga Talacogon Agusan del
Sur CENRO Iniego S Collantes Dapa Surigao del Norte CENRO Joseph Leo E Oconer Cantilan Surigao del Sur
OIC ENRO Precilio O Penaloga Loreto Agusan del Sur CENRO Vince A Estopito Tubay Agusan del Norte OIC CENRO Hernan Ramirez
Lianga Surigao del Sur and OIC CENRO Modesto Lagumbay Bunawan Agusan del Sur ( This photo was taken by RPAO Chief ERIC F
GALLEGO during the 2nd Management Conference held at Licanto Beach Resort Wakat Barobo Surigao del Sur on May 15 to 16 2014 )
January to June 2014 January to June 2014
Mukabat sa 79 245 kilometro ang malampusong nakumpletong namarkahan sa DENR sa mga forest line boundaries sa tibuok nasud sa Pilipinas
Sumala pa ni DENR Secretary Ramon JP Paje nga ang nasangpit nga lakang ang nagmalampuson tungod sa support nga gihatag sa administration agen-
da nga mi adopt sa delineation sa nagkada iyang forest limits sa mga public domain nga nalakip sa 13 ka priority bills diin mismong si Presidente Benigno Aqui-
no III pa ang nagduso niini ngadto sa Legislative- Executive Development Advisory Council kun (LEDAC)
Gidugang pa ni Paje nga sa pagka karon pipila na lamang ka lakang ang ilang pagahimuon aron masunod nila ang mandatu sa konstitusyon sa DENR nga
ma ila ug markahan ang mga forest limits sa nasud Kun diin ang resulta sa maong survey ang kasamtangang gisusi ug gi validate sa National Assesment and
Delineation Committee (NADC) basi sa ilang tagsa tagsa ka probinsiya para sa pormal nga pag duso ug pag apruba niini ngadto sa House of Representa-
tives Ubos sa DENR Administrative Order (DAO) No 2000-24 nga nagmugna sa giya para sa implementasyon sa forest boundary delineation project ang buha-
tan sa DENR ang adunay mandatu nga markahan ang mga luna nga maoy boundary sa forestland ug alienable and disposal lands sa tibuok nasud kini basi sa
mandatu sa konstitusyon sa ldquoCongress to determine by law the specific limits of public domainsrdquo (Sec 4 Article XII 1987 Philippine Constitution)
Delineation sa mga forest land boundaries pormal ng natapos sa DENR Ni Richell P Bongato
The members of the ARFAMCO have opted to revive the 171 hectares - waste timberland in the upland villages of Kasunugan Alikpawan
and Malapuwi These areas were almost denuded by years of kaingin The members have however strove to plant 85000 indigenous seedlings
since 2011 to date
They planted falcata seedlings on a 35-hectares area in 2011 The following year in 2012 the cooperative developed an adjacent 42-
hectares denuded timberland classified as protection forest They planted indigenous seedlings on it which consist of the species of Narra
Talisay gubat Mahogany Aguho Bagras Bahai Malapapaya Binunga Lagnob Bunot-bunot Manga-manga Bintuko Auri Ilang-ilang Alim
ituman Malapili and Bayog
The following year the members developed another 94 hectares of kaingin-laden timberland which is a protection forestland The
irregular weather pattern brought about by ldquoclimate changerdquo did not even affected the members as they worked together in maintenance job
to ensure high survival rate ldquo The mortality of seedlings was discouraging owing to hotter weather condition but it did not dampen our hopes ldquo
Saylon said He said both men and younger women have put their efforts together to water the seedlings before sunrise while the mothers have
occupied themselves at the nursery of continuous seedling productions ldquo
The NGP had changed the lives of the farmers who once -upon -a -time were engaged in timber poaching The members have even
organized a team of Bantay Gubat serving as foot patrol officers to monitor the activities at the site and ward off kaingin activities
Today we can see from a distance that the once-denuded timber land which was
destroyed by years of kaingin in Barangay Aclan is returning back to life again The
trees are growing ( EFG)
DENR 13 Regional Executive Director Nonito M Tamayo leads the tree planting activity of the more than 300 operators and workers of the wood processing plants lumber and furniture shops in Buenavista Agusan del Norte ( inset) as manifes-tation of support to the National Greening Program The DENR seeks to plant more than 30000 hectares of production and open forest lands this year ( Photo by Eric Gallego DENR 13RPAO )
The ldquo Kasikas sa Kinaiyahanrdquo Newsletter is a Quarterly publication of the DENR 13 Caraga Region with its editorial office address at
the Regional Public Affairs Office DENR -13 Barangay Ambago Butuan City News manuscript and photograph contribution are accepted
subject to the editorial standard policy of this publication Send your comments and reactions through this email add
herzondenrcaragarpao gmailcom
Eric Herson F Gallego
Editor in Chief
PENRO CENRO and Division Chiefs
Contributing Editors
MISSION amp MANDATE
Our mission is to mobilize our citizenry in pro-
tecting conserving and managing the environ-
ment and natural resources Our mandate is to
stop environmental abuses reverse ecological deg-
radation conserve the remaining natural re-
sources and ensure that they benefit our people
EDITORIAL CONSULTANTS
Nonito M Tamayo - RD
Ronillo L Salac - OIC RTD ERDS PAW-
CZMS
Maritess M Ocampo - OIC RTD FMS
18 KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN 3
Geohazard maps now accessible in four
websites
Geohazard maps are now accessible and downloadable
from four government websites including that of a non-
government organization it was announced by the De-
partment of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)
The government websites hosting the interactive
geo-hazard maps include that of the DENR
(wwwdenrgovph) Mines and Geosciences Bureau
(wwwmgbgovph) Philippine Information Agency
(wwwpiagovph) and that of Environmental Science for
Social Change (wwwesscorgph)
DENR-13 Regional Executive Director Nonito M Tamayo
signed on ( March 202014) the application for Special Land Use
Permit ( SLUP) of the GMA Network Inc for the establishment of
a TV Relay Station at Sitio Matin-ao Barangay Bonbon
Buuan City Witnessing the contract signing are For Maritess M
Ocampo OIC Regional Technical DIrector of Forest Management
Services Engr Denis B Gatchalian a staff under the Broadcast
Engineering Services representing the GMA Network Those at the
back who witnessed the signing are OIC Cenro of Nasipit Agusan
del Norte For Norman Asugan the OIC Chief of the FRDD DENR
13 For Mila J Garcia the OIC CHief of the FRCD DENR 13
For Raul A Rosales and a staff of the FMS For Roel A Rosales
The signing rite was held at the ORED Conference Room DENR
13 Barangay Ambago Butuan City ( Photo by Eric F Gallego
Chief of RPAODENR 13)
FROM PAGE 13 Poor Farmers get richer
January to June 2014 January to June 2014
More than 300 workers and operators of Wood Processing Plants furniture shops and lumber dealers in Butuan City planted tree seedlings at the Mt
Mayapay Watershed in Ginabsan Buenavista on Thursday March 06 2013 to demonstrate their full support to the National Greening Program
The participants brought with them shovels and other garden tools and assembled at the Sports Center in Barangay Libertad in Butuan City as
early as 5 am before they walked and scaled the two - kilometers (20 -degree ) rolling slopes of the western side of Mount Mayapay They planted more than
500 tree seedlings of mahogany narra african tulip and acasia mangium species at the 225-hectare tree planting site set aside to them by the DENR
The workers and operators of the wood processing plants have committed to support the NGP
which is actually needed to ensure a better chance of survival rate of 85 percent The DENR 13 Regional
Director Nonito M Tamayo expressed his sincere thanks to the people for participating in the tree plant-
ing activity ldquo I hope the DENR and the WPP can do this regularly the more seedlings we plant the
better for the next generation rdquo Director Tamayo said during an interview with the ABS-CBN reporters
He said ldquo the DENR expects a good survival rate of the seedlings owing to the commitment
of the WPP supporters which can be achieved through proper care and maintenance rdquo Director Tamayo
said Since 2011 the CENR Office in Nasipit has recorded about 112500 tree seedlings of indigenous
species were planted in 375 hectares brush-land at the Mt Mayapay Watershed under the NGP
The OIC CENR Officer of Nasipit Norman Asugan said more participation from the commu-
nity academe non-government organization the private and the LGU should be encouraged to partici-
pate in the tree planting activities which his personnel at the forest development section have given at-
tention ldquo We share the vision of our community leaders of bringing back the forest of Mt
Mayapay in the days ahead rsquorsquo Forester Asugan said
By Eric F Gallego
BUTUAN CITY - The DENR Research personnel in Region 13 headed by OIC Regional Technical Director Ronilo Salac with the assistance of dozens of ldquojob -order ldquoworkers have bagged thousands seeds of premium and diptherocarp species at its Clonal Nursery Center in Barangay Buod in this city to replenish the 30000 seedlings used in the replanting activities of PENRO Tandag Surigao del Sur as the nation celebrates the Earth Day festival with the theme ldquo Earth Day every day everywhere for everyonerdquoon Tuesday April 22 2014 In some parts of the region the Regional Executive Director Nonito M Tamayo led the tree planting ceremony together with the local government officials and other national government agencies and private organizations held at the DENR Wildlife Rescue Center in Kicharao Agusan del Norte The Agusan del Sur PENRO Roberto Oliveros have revisited the sites of the National Greening Program ( NGP) in Talacogon and Bayugan to check the progress of the survival of the tree seedlings which were planted in January this year by the members of the Community-Based Forest Management Agree-ment holders He also led the tree planting activities together with
the field personnel of CENRO San Fran-cisco Bunawan Loreto Talacogon and Bayugan at Mt Magdiwata in San Francisco Agusan del Sur The PENR offices in Surigao City and Dinagat Province and the CENR offices in Lianga Barobo and Cantilan in Surigao del Sur have conducted similar tree planting activities in separate locations The Environment Management Bureau Regional Office personnel have conducted coastal clean- up at Barangay Masao in Butuan City
DENR-13 plants 30000 tree seedlings on
Earth Day 2014
4 17
CENRO Nasipit gets support of Lumber workers
and operators in Butuan City for NGP
KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN
Students of the Agusan del Norte High School in Butuan City plant 1500
mangrove (bakhaw) propagules at an islet near the Delta of Agusan River
in Barangay Lumbokan Butuan City in support of the National Greening
Program of the DENR
Rising sea levels means greater risk of storm
surges and wave damage to coastline
Increasing frequency of extreme weather
results in greater and wider outbreak of disease
The changing climate is altering natural environment
increasing the vulnerability of plants and animal species
A MESSAGE FROM THE DENR-13 PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE
KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN January to June 2014 January to June 2014
Butuan City ndash Barely two years after Executive Order No 23 was implemented illegal logging and
timber poaching activities have slowed down in the Region particularly in Agusan del Sur which is
noted as ldquohot spot areardquo
DENR-13 Regional Executive Director Nonito M Tamayo made the report during the recent 1st Man-
agement Conference (ManCon ) held at the DENR Regional Office on February 05 2014 after analyz-
ing the reports submitted by the five PENR officers of Agusan del Nore Agusan del Sur Surigao del
Norte Surigao del Sur and Dinagat province
ldquo A significant decline in illegal loggging activities has been noted from 2011 to 2013 report
owing to intensified campaign made be the DENR in coordination with the Philippine National Police
and the Philippine Army rdquo RED Tamayo said
In Agusan del Sur where illegal logging activities has been a problem for several years PEN-
RO Roberto Oliveros reported that apprehension of illegal logs and lumber made in 2013 was
264741 cubic meters of logs and 6616676 board feet of lumber He said the the report noted a reduction
of apprehensions compared in 2012 with a record 364061 cubic meters logs and 29222363 board feet
lumber ldquo
According to PENRO Oliveros the all-out campaign on anti-illegal logging campaign in 2012
made significant factor in slowing down the illegal logging activities after the operations shifted to high gear
following the implementation of Executive Order 23 issued by President Benigno S Aquino III in February
1 2011 EO 23 is the declaration of moratorium on the cutting and harvesting of timber in the natural and
residual forests and creating the anti-illegal logging task force
Director Tamayo said he has high expectations
CRITICAL HABITAT FOR MARINE TURTLE ---DENR-13
Regional Director Nonito M Tamayo ( left ) and Mayor Ramon Calo of
Carmen Agusan del Norte shake hands after signing a Memorandum of
Agreement for the development propagation and plantation of mangrove
seedlings and beach forest along the shorelines of Carmen Agusan del
Norte ( Photo by RPAO Cristine Selanova)
The two new eaglets discovered in the mountains of the
Zamboanga peninsula in December last year have kept the hopes of the
Filipino people alive in saving the Philippine Eagle (Pithecophaga jefferyi)
from extinction
DENR 13 Regional Director made this encouraging remarks
over the radio at the start of the 10th celebration of the Philippine Eagle Week
last June 4-10 He encouraged the people to take part in the observance
of the Philippine Eagle Week ldquo The people particularly those living in the
hinterlands must understand the importance of protecting of the Philippine
Eagle which also known as
ldquo Haring Ibonrdquo or ldquo Agila
rdquo in local dialect
The celebration this year
according to Secretary Paje
is considered ldquoextra
special ldquo because two new
additions to the
eaglersquos population were
recorded in December last
yearrdquo ldquo This discovery
provides a glimmer of
hope for the national birdrdquo
Secretary Paje said referring to the report of the birth of two new eagles in
Linay Zamboanga del Norte and Midsalip Zamboanga del Sur
ldquoIn the midst of the government efforts to restore our dwindling
forests the presence of these birds boosts our hope of achieving a thriving
forest ecosystem and a constant reminder that wildlife can co-exist
harmoniously with humans Paje said The DENR in cooperation with the
Haribon and the LGU of Gabaldon is intensifying their efforts to protect
Mt Mingan from human activities to preserve the population of the eagle
In Caraga Region Director Tamayo said there were sightings of
Philippine Eagles hovering the vast forest areas of Mt Hilong-Hilong in the
eastern section of Agusan del Norte and the former timber land area of the
defunct Surigao Development Corp (SUDECOR ) in Surigao del Sur and in
the erstwhile timber concession area of PICOP in Bislig City
Acclaimed as one of the treasures of the Philippine wild the
national bird is the largest eagle in the world With its height of one meter and
a wing span of two meters the Philippine eagle reigns supreme in the tropical
forest as a top predator A pair of this majestic bird occupies 7000 to 13000
hectares of forest territory
Butuan City ndashThe Department of Environment and Natural Resources Region 13
and the Municipal Government of Carmen Agusan del Norte have entered into
an Agreement to establish a monitoring station for the 575620 hectares-
coastal areas in five barangays declared by the DENR as Critical Habitat for
Marine Turtles
This means that human activities at the shore lines of Barangays Vina-
por Gosoon San Agustin Cahayagan and Tagcatong in Carmen Agusan del
Norte shall be regulated to protect the the marine turtles which make the beach
as their nesting ground
DENR-13 Regional Executive Director Nonito M Tamayo and Mayor
Ramon Calo signed the MOA at a simple ceremony held at a beach in
Barangay Tagcatong in Carmen Agusan del Norte on March 252014 Witness-
ing the ceremony are the OIC CENR Officer of Nasipit Norman A Asugan
PENR Officer Paterno B Olivera the Barangay Captain of Tagcatong Eva D
Palarca and the Richard Palang-at of Vinapor Carmen
The DENR also donated 14223 cubic meters of mixed Dipterocarp
flitches and miscellaneous species to the municipal government of Carmen for the
construction of monitoring station
The LGU in Carmen under the agreement shall provide funds for the
construction It will also provide an area for the station and personnel who will
man the monitoring station Mayor Calo assured Director Tamayo that he
will personally supervise the protection management and development of
the marine turtle sanctuary
Aside from the wood materials the DENR has also provided the con-
struction of billboards that will properly guide the public including the conduct
of regular monitoring and evaluation to ensure proper conservation management
and development of the critical habitat
The five barangays in Carmen was declared by the DENR as Critical
Habitat for Marine Turtles by virtue of Department Special Order 2012-08 on
October 8 2013 signed by DENR Secretary Ramon JP Paje
KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN 16 5
January to June 2014 KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN January to June 2014
DENR ties up with LGU Carmen
in monitoring sea turtles Two new eaglets keep hopes
of the Filipino people alive
Eagle Week celebration
Illegal logging activities slowed down in Caraga
BUTUAN CITY mdashDENR-13 OIC Regional Director Nonito M Tamayo has
commended on Monday ( March 10 2014 ) the leadership of the Philippine
National Police Regional Office 13 headed by Police Chief Superintendent Domina-
dor Eslava Aquino Jr for continued support in the anti-illegal logging campaign
that resulted in slowing down the illegal logging incidents in the region by 60 percent
Director Tamayo expressed the compliment during a Flag Raising ceremony
of the PNP at the Philippine National Police Regional Command at Camp Rodriguez
in Butuan City where he was invited as Guest Speaker
He said that since the Police and the Philippine Army took the lead in the
campaign two years after President Aquino declared a total log ban in the natural and
residual forest a significant drop in incidence of illegal logging and timber poaching
in Caraga region has been noted by the DENR
From a record apprehension of 495560111 board feet lumber made in
2010 a dramatic decline in apprehensions has been noted in 2013 to 261718942
board feet lumber It declined further in the first two months of 2014 to 30158139
board feet of lumber ldquo This is a good indication that the all-out anti-illegal logging
drive with he PNP and the military at the forefront is successful ldquo Tamayo said
In the last four years of campaign at least six personnel were killed The
latest incident was Jaime Cosmiano Diez a tree marker who was killed in front of his
wife and children inside his house in Bayugan Agusan del Sur on February 23 2012
6 15
DENR 13 forest officers in coordination with the Philippine National Police and the Philippine Army have appre-
hended about 1439 pieces or 11382 cubic meters of fresh- illegally cut logs from eight different mini sawmills
during two days anti-illegal logging operations at the remote Barangay Baylo in San Luis Agusan del Sur raising
speculations that some local officials maybe behind the illegal trading operations
ldquo Actually several raids have been made by the CENRO personnel in previous months but the illegal
sawmilling operations resurface weeks after the DENR operatives are gone ldquo OIC CENR Officer of Talacogon
Luis Guevarra said ldquo It is like hide and seek game but we can hardly operate in the area as often without police
backups considering the place is known as hub of timber poachers and armed supporters ldquo he added Barangay
Baylo is about 15 kilometers away from the nearest Philippine Army Detachment under Lt Col Rolando Dumawa
The latest raid was backed up by three platoons of regular army soldiers from the 26th Army Infantry
Batallion 4th Infantry Division and one unit from the Special Action Police Force (SAF) although the authorities
were dismayed over the sight of empty saw mill equipment and gadgets such as engines and saw-blades when
they barged into the identified mill plants as if the operators have fore knowledge of the raid
Itrsquos very disappointing ldquo PENR Officer of Agusan del Sur Roberto Oliveros said He said the area has been
on surveillance since an informant tip off the DENR of the clandestine mini saw mill operations of logs harvested by
timber poachers from a nearby defunct timberland of the PTFI Timber License Agreement holder ldquo
ldquo These illegally-cut timber arereportedlu moved through river tributaries to its destination in the
sawmilling plants built along the riverbanks It took the DENR about 48 hours with interval to extract the logs at the
different sawmills plants which included 243 pieces ( 2809 cubic meters at Purok 4 996 pieces ( 8599 cubic me-
ters) at Purok 3 at Sitio Don Alejandro all in Barangay Baylo San Luis Agusan del Sur and 200 pieces ( 1974 cubic
meters ) from the Barangay Proper of Baylo Oliveros said he was verifying reports that one of the illegal sawmill
plants is operated by a barangay official of Barangay Baylo The raid has also missed to catch the hauling of lumber
in eight Saddam-type 6-wheeler trucks which went at an undisclosed place in the nearby town of Bayugan the night
before
DENR 13 Regional Director Nonito M Tamayo said some people in that barangay are reportedly codling
with timber poachers and the operations of illegal sawmill plants have been tolerated in the area
Director Tamayo instructed PENRO Oliveros to intensify monitor of illegal logging activities in the area
and the activities of timber poachers in the former TLA holders area of operations in San Luis He said the DENR-13
personnel are expected to join forces with the DENR-11 in strengthening the monitoring of illegal logs trav-
ersing the stretch of the Maharlika Highway from Agusan del Sur Compostela Valley and Davao City
DENR 13 apprehends 1439 illegal logs
in San Luis Agusan del Sur The restriction of transport of all types of logs through the Agusan
River and its tributaries which took effect on February 102014 remain
enforced until the DENR Office of the Secretary ( OSEC) issues another
order to lift up the suspension
DENR-13 Regional Director Nonito M Tamayo said he has
submitted a detailed report of the logging trade utilizing Agusan River as
one of the ways in transporting forest products by the tree farmers and the
land owners and is being reviewed by a technical group under the Of-
fice of Undersecretary for Field Operations Demetrio L IgnacioJr
ldquo We have considered everything and consulted several sectors
of the industry environmentalists and local officials that made us to
propose that the movement of logs should be done only during daytime rdquo
RD Tamayo said ldquo Let us hope the top management would consider it rdquo he added
Since the supension took effect six month ago the DENR has stopped issuing permits for all types of logs using Agusan river and
its tributaries as waterways to move the forest products to the various wood processing plants along riverbanks in Butuan City and in other parts in Agusan
del Sur
Undersecretary Ignacio Jr has issued the log movement restriction order on Agusan river on a memorandum sent to RD Tamayo The memo
also cited wanton disregard of regulations imposed under Executive 23 by some people as one of the reasons for the restriction of log movement on
Agusan river The memo also cited that ldquorafting and towing of logs on Agusan river have contributed to the inundation and scouring of the river banks
made worst during heavy rains that has significantly contributed to the siltation of the riverrdquo ( EFG)
Log restriction movement along
Agusan River remains enforced
Agusan River
DENR-13 Regional Executive Director Nonito M Tamayo assisted by
Police Chief Supt Dominador E Aquino JrActing Regional Director of
PNP-13 and PSSUPT Joseph D Plaza Batallion Commander of 13th
RPSB pins award of medal to the three policemen namely PO2 Arin F
Dela Cruz PO1 Sherwin Clyde M Castrodes PO1 Alejandrino M Intas
of the 1st Company 13th Regional Special Police Service Batallion
DENR commends PNP -13
TO PAGE 12
KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN January to June 2014 KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN January to June 2014
BISLIG CITY mdash The construction of a ldquostate-of-the artrdquo nursery house for tree seedlings
in Bislig Surigao del Sur the first of its kind in Caraga Region being supervised by the
Ecosystem Research and Development of the DENR is expected to be completed
before the end of this year It can produce 12 million tree seedlings every year
This Mechanization and Modernization of Forest Nursery is the pet project of
DENR Secretary Ramon JP Paje in his objective to produce large volume of high-quality
planting materials through a more efficient and cost-effective methods of propagation in
support of the seedlings needs of the National Greening Program
Secretary Paje said the NGP targets to plant about 1 billion tree seedlings of dif-
ferent species planted over 15 million hectares in various areas all over the country by 2016
DENR OIC Regional Director Nonito M Tamayo has instructed his five PENROs
and 13 CENROs to plant tree seedlings that are adaptable to soil conditions in a given area
including the mangrove and beach forest on the shorelines
The mechanized nursery project was initiated by RD Tamayo and RTD Ronilo Sa-
lac of ERDS and the Bio-diversity Management Regional Office From the concept they
did everything to prove that this region deserves one allocation of the the four project sites
in the country Such modern and mechanized seedling nursery costs about P 353 million
The other areas are found in Luzon and the Visayas
Work activities of the modern nursery at the area of the ERDS in Bislig Surigao
del Sur began in January this year through the four winning bidders all of them are based in
Butuan City doing separate project components This
included the Hardening Area a 15000 sqmeter- lot
which will ensure the gradual exposure of the seedlings
into full sunlight for the sturdy and quality planting ma-
terials before they are planted into selected planting
sites It has a section called the Growing area which is
a 10000- sqmeter lot that functions as development of
geminants into seedlings At the other side is the the
Seeder Building which processes the sowing of seeds
into the styro-blocks propagation container with custom-
ized seed pads and treated through a misting area for
watering before they are placed into the greenhouse
There are two Greenhouse buildings being built at a 350 sqmeter lot in that area These build-
ings are equipped with misting devices and other facilities that helps in the germination process
of the germinants
RED Tamayo gave his assurance that the mechanized nursery will produce at least 12
million good quality seedlings yearly assuming they will come from the Seed Production area
and Individual Plus Trees ( IPTs) and have been processed at the Mindanao Tree Seed Center
He said the nursery may also provide fruit crops vegetables and cut flowers so that
the tree farmers can earn their livelihood while waiting for the tree crops to yield fruits and
harvested He expressed optimism that the project will succeed according to plans and pro-
grams laid out by the DENR technical people so that the country can enjoy a good and healthy
environment in the midst of a global climate change ( RPAO 13 Eric Gallego )
P 35-m mechanize seedling center
rises up in Bislig City
By Eric F Gallego
7 14
The City Government of Butuan City have officially proclaimed its consent to
share its 15204 -sqmeter (15 hectares) real estate property to the
Department of Environment and Natural Resources which is been utilized
by the DENR-13 Ecosystem Research and Development for the Macrosomat-
ic Clonal Propagation Complex at Sitio Buod Barangay Pinamangculan in
Butuan City since 2001
The move was made during the formal signing of the Memorandum of Agree-
ment between DENR-13 Regional Director Nonito M Tamayo and City
Mayor M Amante Jr in a simple ceremony held at the DENR clonal propa-
gation complex in that barangay on May 152014 Also present to witness the
event were Virgilio G Nery Chairman of the SP Committee on Environment
and Natural Resources City Administrator Leah A Mendoza Regional
Technical Director of DENR Research Ronill L Salac and the OIC CENR
Officer of Nasipit Norman Asungan
The city government had agreed that it shall recognize the existence of the
DENR Caraga Macrosomatic Clonal Nursery and support the DENR through providing assistance
in infrastructure and road buildings
The DENR on the other hand shall maintain the clonal nursery complex as well as
produce quality planting stocks of indigenous forest trees and other equally important species for
environment protection and rehabilitation It shall also support the city government in the
promotion of environment and natural resources development programs through provision of
technical assistance and high-quality planting materials
Director Tamayo said the complex will also serve as learning laboratory for students
and environmental science researchers He thanked the city government for sharing
responsibilities and resources with the DENR for effective implementation of environmental
activities in the city in support of Climate Change mitigation and adaptation program
Mayor Amante said the city government has envisioned to transform Butuan City
as Center of Forest in the country by 2020 Corollary to this vision of 1 million trees by 2020
the city government has started initiating tree planting activities in different areas ldquo
We are looking ahead that Butuan City will become a show window for sustainable forest-based
economy while Butuan enjoy a high-per capita incomerdquo
The City Mayor and RD Tamayor afterward proceeded to the planting site where they
planted seedling of Bagoadlau species ( Xanthostemon philippinesis ) The mayor also toured the
complex and expressed appreciation of the process of clonal procedure in seedling production
The clonal nursery was established in 2001 under the initiative of the late
Representative of the 1st District of Agusan del Norte Leovigildo Banaag (EFG)
Mayor Amante shares 15 hectare govrsquot land to the DENR
KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN January to June 2014 KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN January to June 2014
In a remote village of Lucac in San Francisco Agusan del Sur the farm-
ers who belong to the Lucac Pilot Community Forest Beneficiaries
Association ( LUPICOMFOBA) are patiently waiting for the proper time
of harvest from the tree crops and falcata trees they have planted under the
National Greening Program ( NGP ) The farmers expect to earn a hefty
income from the crops and tree plantation which are enough to send their
children to school and perhaps pursue their dreams of finishing a college degree
from fine schools in Davao City or Butuan City
The NGP has found a way in that upland community of indigenous
people to find relief who for years have been trapped in the cycle of poverty
In fact most of the 40 member farmers of that association have been in one
way engaged in illegal logging activities to make both ends meet
ldquo At that time we were focused only on the survival otherwise
we will die in starvationrdquo Mario Crecensio said in an interview during the visit
of DENR OIC Regional Director Nonito M Tamayo with PENRO Roberto Oli-
veros and other DENR field personnel
ldquo I was impressed by the achievement made by this association since
their members have enrolled in the NGPrdquo Director Tamayo said
Since the LUPICOMFIRBA was organized in 2011 many things in
the lives of the farmers have changed Most of them according to Cresencio
have shunned timber poaching and focused themselves on farming
ldquo Wersquove got plenty of banana plantation here beside the other cropsrdquo Cres-
encio said The association is earning an average income of P 10000 every week
from the sale of bananas of ldquo lakatan ldquo variety
The members have cultivated part of the 1 000 hectares timberland that
the DENR had awarded to them for rehabilitation under the Community-Based
Forest Management Agreement ( CBFMA) in the year 2000
Crecencio said the members have developed about 292 hectares of
this awarded land and planted it with rubber trees ipil-ipil and kakawate trees for
fuel wood production Afterwards he said ldquo we expanded and planted the idle 40
hectare land with fast growing falcata trees ldquo The farmers then introduced the
ldquointercroppingrdquo farm technique to double their production
ldquo We never
thought twice when we learned of the NGP We availed of the program when a DENR extension
worker came to our village one day to promote the programrdquo he said
Crecensio has revisited his idle farm owned by his parents and planted the 20-hectare agricul-
tural land with falcata seedlings He expects to earn at least P 10 million from the harvest of falcata
three years from now
ldquo I guess we are now contented with this kind of living as compared in the past ldquo he said
Director Tamayo said ldquo the main essence of the NGP is to relieve the farmers from poverty
We are seeing this principle in this place ldquo
PENRO Oliveros said that the people used to look at the forest as a source of livelihood
hence illegal logging was considered as alternative to earn incomerdquo
But the NGP has totally changed that attitude ldquo The people in that village have learned to
adopt the concept of the NGP since every farmer who has a piece of land would now want to plant tree
seedlings blend with cash cropsrdquo PENRO Oliveros said ( RPAO 13 )
8 13
NGP licks poverty in Agusan del Sur By Eric Galleo and Christine Selanova
Butuan City-- Barring any complication in about four years from now the members of the of the Aclan River Farmers Cooperative
( ARFAMCO ) in Barangay Aclan Nasipit Agusan del Norte shall be richer by more than P30 million which is the fruits of their labor
under the National Greening Program ( NGP)
But looking back on those years that the mem-
bers have gone through are pictures of gloomy experi-
ences that most of them would always remember the
saga in life that they went through to survive Most
them were dependent from the Nasipit Lumber
Company ( NALCO) and enjoying comforts in life at the
peak of its operation in the 70rsquos But when the
company had ceased its operation due to bankruptcy
they became broke and resorted to illegal logging by
relentlessly cutting trees in plantation areas
maintained by the company It was a season when
poachers have their hey days raking tremendous earn-
ings from illegal activities
The time came when the DENR restricted the
laws on PD 705 and intensified its anti-illegal logging
campaign The idled ndash former workers of NALCO could no longer trade those undocu-
mented logs in the open market as easy as before Hence they resorted to farming
through slash and burn beside illegal logging
There was never a time when the forest plantation maintained by the defunct
NALCO was seriously threatened with wanton destruction than the farmers arming
themselves with axes and sharp boloes to cut the trees for income and burn the soil so
they can plant agricultural crops ldquo Hunger stalked upon us and we need to survive from starvationrdquo Norlito T Saylon President of
the ARFAMCO said ldquo We gained at first attempt but ended up in a situation much worst than the previous years owing to unproductive landsrdquo
Saylon said ldquo We became more poorer desperate and often wanting in needs but we can not do otherwise except resort to illegal cutting to
surviverdquo he added
He said his peers were relieved when they heard of the National Greening Program ( NGP) of President Benigno S Aquino ldquo We were
happy after an extension worker from the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office ( CENRO) in Nasipit Agusan del Norte came
to our community in 2011 and offered us the chance to participate in the NGP program rdquo Saylon said
He said that they have realize then that the NGP program is good because it addresses the specific needs of their group He said there
were several livelihood opportunities available in the past years that were offered by several government agencies but the NGP is better rdquo
Saylon said To Page 18
Poor farmers get richer by P 30 million
from NGP in Aclan Nasipit Agusan del Norte
By Eric Herzon F Gallego
NORLITO T SAYLON
KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN January to June 2014 KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN January to June 2014
The DENR through the Land Management Services has acquired the services of CM ESPARRAGO SURVEYING SERVICES for the cadastral survey project of two municipalities in Surigao del Norte and Surigao City for a contract price of P 5737776 The amount will be spent in the survey of the political boundaries of Surigao City and the municipalities of Sta Monica and Dapa in Surigao del Norte DENR 13 Regional Executive Director Nonito M Tamayo has formalized the deal through the Contract of Agreement ( CoA) he signed with Engr Cristopher M Esparrago in a simple ceremony held the REDrsquos office on February 062014 The signing was also witnessed by the Regional Technical Director for Land Management Services ( LMS) Atty Paquito R Rosal and the Regional Cadastral Survey Projects Coordinator at the DENR-LMS Engr Bernard A Daitol Dapa Surigao del Norte has 140 political boundaries and 47 points along rivers and shorelines Sta Monica Surigao del Norte has 55 estimated political boundaries and 18 points along rivers and shore-lines Surigao City on the other hand has 154 political boundaries and 17 points along rivers and shoreline Under the contract the CM Esparrago Surveying Services shall complete and execute the cadastral survey of political boundaries of the said municipalities and Surigao City in at least one year time
A cadastral survey[1]
or cadastral map is a comprehensive register of the real estate or real propertys metes-and-bounds of a country It commonly includes details of the ownership the tenure the precise location (some include GPS coordinates) the dimensions (and area) the cultivations if rural and the value of individual parcels of land Cadastres are used by many nations around the world
[1] some in con-
junction with other records such as a title register
In most countries legal systems have developed around the original administrative systems and use the cadastre to define the di-mensions and location of land parcels described in legal documentation The cadastre is a fundamental source of data in disputes and lawsuits between landowners
DENR finalizes Master Plan for Agusan River
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources Region 13 Office has hired the
services of the Lichel Technologies Inc for P4950 million to finalize the Master Plan
of the Agusan River Basin (ARB) program
DENR-13 Regional Executive Director Nonito M Tamayo signed the Contract
of Agreement with the Managing Director of the Lichel Technologies Inc Rachel A Vasquez
in a simple ceremony held at the DENR Regional Conference Room in Barangay Ambago Butuan
City on Tuesday (March 18 2014 )
The scope of works as defined in the agreement involve preparations of work and
financial plan an outline of the updated enhanced Agusan River Basin Master Plan generation
of primary data undertake surveys interviews and fieldworks integrate commends and recommen-
dations generated from series of consultations and workshop with provinces cities regional tech-
nical working groups regional development councils indigenous cultural and tribal communities
conduct analysis on the conflicting tenurial claims and mining tenements employ GIS and remote
sensing technology in the analysis of the basinrsquos condition identification of development interven-
tions Bio-physical assessment by sub-basin disaster risk assessment and climate change
vulnerability assessment land use analysis by sub basin specific for flooding flood modelling
using 100 years hydro-meteorological data and re-packaging of the master plan among others
9 12
ldquo The heroic act of PNP personnel and the DENR
personnel at the forefront of the anti-illegal log-
ging campaign is laudable and exceptional for
the DENR top management recognized their
sacrfices and contributions in the campaign rdquo he
said
ldquo Incidents of Illegal logging in Caraga
region are steadily going down owing to the inten-
sive police and military campaign which prompt
timber poacher and smugglers to pause and think
twice with their illegal activities rdquo Director
Tamayo said
During the occasion the DENR gave
certificates of recognition and P 100000 cash
incentive each to PO2 Arwin F Dela Cruz PO1
Sherwin Clyde M Castrodes PO1 Alejandro M
Intas of the 1st Company Regional Police Securi-
ty Batallion They were with the team of DENR
personnel trying to retrieve several pieces of ille-
gal logs in Barobo Surigao del Sur recently when
DENR seeks police assistance in monitoring of
closed vans with illegal forest products
KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN
The Police and the Philippine Army have been asked to tighten its monitoring
on the closed vans and trucks that are traversing the major highways to Davao fol-
lowing reports that they are carrying lumber products of banned species
ldquo Wersquove been informed that timber poachers are processing illegally-cut logs
of banned species a into small pieces materials from a secluded area which are then
placed on closed vans before they are transported to a plywood processing plants in
Davao City Cebu and Manila for plywood materialsrdquo Regional Director Nonito M
Tamayo said
At present all the wood processing plants in cities of Butuan and Cagayan de
Oro are using falcata gubas or acacia mangium species for their plywood production
because of the prevailing ban on cutting of hardwoods by virtue of Executive Order
No 23
Reports said however that some plywood plant operators in some areas of Mindanao are buying these illegal products from
unscrupulous poachers ldquoWe are finding difficulty in monitoring the movement of these undocumented forest products after they are
put on sealed vans ldquo Tamayo said
FROM PAGE 6 hellip DENR Commends PNP-13
DENR conducts survey of political boundaries in Surigao City Dapa and Sta Monica in Surgao del Norte
Butuan City ndash A worker a mining area in Tubay Agusan del Norte rescued a juvenile Frigate bird in March 2014 and
turn it over to the DENR authorities ldquo The bird appeared to be exhausted and trying to regain its strength from
a long flight ldquo Roed Nakila a mining worker said
ldquo We thought it was dead but when we got near the bird is struggling so we took it to our shelter ldquo he said
ldquoItrsquos was the first time I saw that kind of bird ldquo Nakila said adding he was tempted on keeping it as pet
The juvenile frigate bird measures 94 centimeters with a wingspan of 198 centimeters It weighs about 500
grams The Frigate birds are a family of seabirds also known as frigate pelicans It can be found breeding along the
Pacific coast of Costa Rica particularly at the Corcovado National Park An adult Frigate birds measures 1 meter long
with a 215 meter wingspan The males have a red pouch that is inflated during the breeding season to attract a mate
Females are black but have a white breast and lower neck sides a brown band on the wings and a blue eye ring
They lack the ability to take off from water so they snatch prey from the ocean surface or beach using their long hooked bills Frigate birds are
seasonally monogamous which means they only mate with one female per season
Frigate birds are not classified as an endangered species but populations appear to be declining mainly due to human destruction of habitat for housing
and resorts and disturbance in colonies Introducing predators on islands and over-fishing are also potential problems They spend days and nights on the air with
an average ground speed of 10 kmhour covering 223 km before landing
DENR -13 Protected Area and Wildlife has declared the juvenile Frigate to be in good condition after it was examined at the Regional Animal Disease
Diagnostic Lab at Barangay Taguibo Butuan City ( EFG)
Mining worker saves a juvenile Frigate bird
January to June 2014 January to June 2014
The employees of the DENR Region 13 have successfully con-
cluded the Environment Month Celebration on Monday with the
call of readiness in the face of the Global Climate Change amid
funs and games and talent competition held at the DENR 13 Cov-
ered Court in Barangay Ambago Butuan City on June 30 2014
28 individuals including seven companies and local gov-
ernment units were given Certificates of Recognition as ldquo Envi-
ronmental Heroesrdquo for their untainted support to the programs of
the DENR in particular the Anti- Illegal Logging Campaign and
the National Greening Program (NGP)
ldquo I wish to thank all those individuals companies local government units the Philippine National Police and the Philippine
Army under the 4th Infantry Division who help in pursuing the goals and programs of the DENR with the objective of uplifting the living condition of the people in
the uplands and remote mountain villagesrsquo Regional Director Nonito M Tamayo said in his remarks at the culmination program
Amidst the celebration however Director Tamayo reminded the people to take extra careful of the danger pose by the rising sea level owing to intense ef-
fect of Global Warming that also triggers Global Climate Change
Although it was not his intention to spoil the party Director Tamayo nevertheless reminded the audience about the recent disaster in provinces of Leyte Sa-
mar and other provinces in the Eastern Visayas hit by Typhoon Yolanda in November 8 last year which claimed hundreds of human lives and destroyed billion of
pesos worth of infrastructure agriculture schools buildings and houses could happen again in the days ahead ldquo This is the new normal disaster where you can see
storm surges caused by strong typhoonsrdquo Tamayo said
ldquo It would be best for all of us particularly those people living along the coastal areas to be ready and prepared all the time since our guarantee of our safety is
uncertain in the face of the climate changerdquo he said
January to June 2014 January to June 2014 KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN 10 11
ldquo When you see a standing tree ponder on the crucial role it plays in carbon dioxide sequestrationrdquo by
DENR 13 Regional Director Nonito M Tamayo said on the opening salvo of the Environment Month celebration
ldquo Trees provide a very important role in carbon dioxide sequestration the so -called major factor in the
global warming of the earth ldquo he said as the DENR employees prepares to hold a motorcade on Thursday June 5
from Butuan City to Calac-an Magallanes Agusan del Norte to drumbeat the World Environment Day with the
theme ldquo Raise your voice not the sea levelrdquo The partici-
pants in motorcade have planted mangrove at the
shorelines of Magallanes on that day
Director Tamayo said folk in the hinterlands often
see the trees as source of livelihood when they cut and sell
them to the wood processing plants for money to survive ldquo
But little did they know that the trees play a crucial
role in removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere
through the natural process of photosynthesis and store the
carbon in their leaves branches stems barks and rootsrdquo
Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a natural greenhouse gas
in the atmosphere partly responsible for the earthrsquos
relatively stable climate It is a lsquogreenhousersquo gas because it
traps heat near the earth surface contributing to [observed
and predicted] global warming
He said human activities especially the burning of
fossil fuels such as coals and oil and destruction of natural
forest are greatly increasing the level of Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere Based on scientist findings the
level of CO2 in the atmosphere has increased last century from 284 parts per million in 1832 to about 387
parts per million in 2009 Other gases that have much greater warming impact than carbon dioxide are
methane and nitrous oxide
Tamayo said the DENR has been issuing various warnings in the past that the Philippines is likely to
experience more extreme weather patterns with higher average temperatures possibly long heatwaves and
minimal rainfall if the Greenhouse Effect proceeds as predicted
He said the trees have good uses in arresting Carbon dioxide emissions and therefore the people
should be encouraged to increase the area of forest and tree plantations ldquo Natural and planted forest act as
sink for absorbing CO2 from the atmosphererdquo Director Tamayo said
Director Tamayo said the people should support the National Greening Program (NGP) being implemented through the DENR The program seeks to plant
15 billion seedlings in 15 million hectares of timberlands nationwide from 2011 to 2016
He cited an Australian Greenhouse Office report that ldquo trees in forest ( including plantations) if well-stocked typically sequester carbon at a maximum
rate between about age 10 and age 20-30 As an indication the report says that at age 30 years about 200 to 520 tonnes Carbon dioxide equivalent are sequestered
per hectare in the forestrdquo
ldquo After this age if the trees are not harvested the report says ldquo the sequestration rate slows gradually until maturity of about 80 to 100 years of age and
flattens out from then on as growth is balanced by decayrdquo
Director Tamayo said the people therefore is encouraged to support the reforestation program of the government through the NGP
He said that based on scientific findings ldquo reforesting cleared areas will create carbon sinks to counteract greenhouse gas emissions and will assist in other aspects of
environmental improvement such as salinity control and creation of wildlife habitatrdquo
Bitaog The Philippine Centennial Tree
ldquo When you see a standing tree think about its crucial role rdquo The 2014 Environment Month celebration
Laro ng Lahi RPAO Chief Eric Gallego The contestant
PENRO Obet Oliveros CENRO Luis Gonzaga
Atty Jun Nistal Chief Legal PENROs Zaldy Perater and Rosendo Asunto
KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN 19 KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN 2
We are celebrating June as the Environment Month
This month is considered special to all of us who care for the preservation and
protection of our environment and natural resource This yearly celebration was estab-
lished by virtue of proclamation No 237 signed by President Corazon C Aquino in 1988
of which the DENR has been mandated to lead this celebration
The DENR has lined up various activities to give meaning to the celebration and
stimulate awareness to the people of the environment in the face of challenges of the global
climate changes
On June 5 the United Nations and the more than 100 countries in the world
celebrate the World Environment Day to stimulate worldwide awareness of the environ-
ment and encourage political attention and action
The theme of the World Environment Day ldquo Small Islands and Climate Change
Raise your voice not the sea levelrdquo is very much appropriate at this time that we are expe-
riencing the effects of the global climate change
June 5 serves also as the rsquorsquo peoplersquos dayrsquorsquo for doing something positive for the
environment concreting individual actions into a collective power that generates an
exponential positive impact on the planet The declaration of the United Nations
General Assembly for 2014 as the Year of Small Islands Developing States is aim
to celebrate the contribution of this group of countries and territories has made in the
world These small islands are home to vibrant and distinct cultures and heritage as
well as to rich ecosystems biodiversity and dazzling landscapes
These small islands faced with many environmental challenges brought about by Climate change Rising ocean levels is threaten ing
to wipe out if not reduce small islands into smaller pieces of lands Melting ice and the expansion of the oceans which both due to global
warming are the causes of sea level rise
Philippines is an archipelago with 7107 islands and though we do not fall under the category of small island states some islands in
the country is at high risk from rising seas particularly those villages that are situated in the low lying areas We are also confronted
with the problem about waste management We seem to care less of throwing our waste without segregating it and with the p roblem of
land space to dispose solid and liquid waste it would seem to take little time before we are literally buried in trash
It is good for us that the President and DENR through the leadership of Secretary Ramon JP Paje have timely implemented
the nationwide National Greening Program ( NGP )on February 2011 as a strategy to cushion the impact of climate change tho ugh
out the country The purpose of the NGP is to plant 15 billion trees in 15 million hectares of forest lands nationwide F rom 2011 to 2013
some 683069 hectares of the NGP sites or 46 percent of the 15 million hectare target have been planted with more than 1 2 million jobs
generated For 2014 the NGP has targeted to produce 164 million seedlings and plant them in the different parts of the coun try covering
300000 hectares
We can make our voices be heard for the environment as we celebrate the Environment Month The call this year is to recognize that
we all face the same challenges and are connected and united by our common goal of a sustainable and prosperous life for all on this plan-
et The call is to raise our voice in solidarity with one another particularly with the people of the small islands Whet her it is to organize
clean up campaigns tree planting plastic bans art exhibits recycling drives social media campaigns and others mdashevery action counts
LET OUR VOICES BE RAISED NOT THE SEA LEVEL
NONITO M TAMAYO CESO IV
OIC Regional Director
DENR -13
The Serior Management Staff of Regional Director Nonito M Tamayo DENR 13 ( From left sitting ) PENRO Rosendo Asunto Surigao del Sur
OICPENRO Zaldy Perater Surigao del Norte RD Tamayo OICRTD for FMS Maritess M Ocampo OICRTD for ERDS and PAWCZMS
Ronilo Salac and OIC PENRO Roberto A Oliveros of Agusan del Sur Not in photo is OICPENRO Paterno B Olivera Agusan del Sur
( At the back from left standing ) OICCENRO Cliff C Abraham Surigao City OIC CENRO Norman Asugan Nasipit Agusan del Norte
Eleazar S Alaira OIC CENRO Bayugan Agusan del Sur OIC CENRO Michael Montalban Bislig Surigao del Sur OIC CENRO Melvin Bustilla
San Franz Agusan del Sur OIC CENRO Federico A Senoc Jr Tandag Surigao del Sur OIC CENRO Luis Gonzaga Talacogon Agusan del
Sur CENRO Iniego S Collantes Dapa Surigao del Norte CENRO Joseph Leo E Oconer Cantilan Surigao del Sur
OIC ENRO Precilio O Penaloga Loreto Agusan del Sur CENRO Vince A Estopito Tubay Agusan del Norte OIC CENRO Hernan Ramirez
Lianga Surigao del Sur and OIC CENRO Modesto Lagumbay Bunawan Agusan del Sur ( This photo was taken by RPAO Chief ERIC F
GALLEGO during the 2nd Management Conference held at Licanto Beach Resort Wakat Barobo Surigao del Sur on May 15 to 16 2014 )
January to June 2014 January to June 2014
Mukabat sa 79 245 kilometro ang malampusong nakumpletong namarkahan sa DENR sa mga forest line boundaries sa tibuok nasud sa Pilipinas
Sumala pa ni DENR Secretary Ramon JP Paje nga ang nasangpit nga lakang ang nagmalampuson tungod sa support nga gihatag sa administration agen-
da nga mi adopt sa delineation sa nagkada iyang forest limits sa mga public domain nga nalakip sa 13 ka priority bills diin mismong si Presidente Benigno Aqui-
no III pa ang nagduso niini ngadto sa Legislative- Executive Development Advisory Council kun (LEDAC)
Gidugang pa ni Paje nga sa pagka karon pipila na lamang ka lakang ang ilang pagahimuon aron masunod nila ang mandatu sa konstitusyon sa DENR nga
ma ila ug markahan ang mga forest limits sa nasud Kun diin ang resulta sa maong survey ang kasamtangang gisusi ug gi validate sa National Assesment and
Delineation Committee (NADC) basi sa ilang tagsa tagsa ka probinsiya para sa pormal nga pag duso ug pag apruba niini ngadto sa House of Representa-
tives Ubos sa DENR Administrative Order (DAO) No 2000-24 nga nagmugna sa giya para sa implementasyon sa forest boundary delineation project ang buha-
tan sa DENR ang adunay mandatu nga markahan ang mga luna nga maoy boundary sa forestland ug alienable and disposal lands sa tibuok nasud kini basi sa
mandatu sa konstitusyon sa ldquoCongress to determine by law the specific limits of public domainsrdquo (Sec 4 Article XII 1987 Philippine Constitution)
Delineation sa mga forest land boundaries pormal ng natapos sa DENR Ni Richell P Bongato
The members of the ARFAMCO have opted to revive the 171 hectares - waste timberland in the upland villages of Kasunugan Alikpawan
and Malapuwi These areas were almost denuded by years of kaingin The members have however strove to plant 85000 indigenous seedlings
since 2011 to date
They planted falcata seedlings on a 35-hectares area in 2011 The following year in 2012 the cooperative developed an adjacent 42-
hectares denuded timberland classified as protection forest They planted indigenous seedlings on it which consist of the species of Narra
Talisay gubat Mahogany Aguho Bagras Bahai Malapapaya Binunga Lagnob Bunot-bunot Manga-manga Bintuko Auri Ilang-ilang Alim
ituman Malapili and Bayog
The following year the members developed another 94 hectares of kaingin-laden timberland which is a protection forestland The
irregular weather pattern brought about by ldquoclimate changerdquo did not even affected the members as they worked together in maintenance job
to ensure high survival rate ldquo The mortality of seedlings was discouraging owing to hotter weather condition but it did not dampen our hopes ldquo
Saylon said He said both men and younger women have put their efforts together to water the seedlings before sunrise while the mothers have
occupied themselves at the nursery of continuous seedling productions ldquo
The NGP had changed the lives of the farmers who once -upon -a -time were engaged in timber poaching The members have even
organized a team of Bantay Gubat serving as foot patrol officers to monitor the activities at the site and ward off kaingin activities
Today we can see from a distance that the once-denuded timber land which was
destroyed by years of kaingin in Barangay Aclan is returning back to life again The
trees are growing ( EFG)
DENR 13 Regional Executive Director Nonito M Tamayo leads the tree planting activity of the more than 300 operators and workers of the wood processing plants lumber and furniture shops in Buenavista Agusan del Norte ( inset) as manifes-tation of support to the National Greening Program The DENR seeks to plant more than 30000 hectares of production and open forest lands this year ( Photo by Eric Gallego DENR 13RPAO )
The ldquo Kasikas sa Kinaiyahanrdquo Newsletter is a Quarterly publication of the DENR 13 Caraga Region with its editorial office address at
the Regional Public Affairs Office DENR -13 Barangay Ambago Butuan City News manuscript and photograph contribution are accepted
subject to the editorial standard policy of this publication Send your comments and reactions through this email add
herzondenrcaragarpao gmailcom
Eric Herson F Gallego
Editor in Chief
PENRO CENRO and Division Chiefs
Contributing Editors
MISSION amp MANDATE
Our mission is to mobilize our citizenry in pro-
tecting conserving and managing the environ-
ment and natural resources Our mandate is to
stop environmental abuses reverse ecological deg-
radation conserve the remaining natural re-
sources and ensure that they benefit our people
EDITORIAL CONSULTANTS
Nonito M Tamayo - RD
Ronillo L Salac - OIC RTD ERDS PAW-
CZMS
Maritess M Ocampo - OIC RTD FMS
18 KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN 3
Geohazard maps now accessible in four
websites
Geohazard maps are now accessible and downloadable
from four government websites including that of a non-
government organization it was announced by the De-
partment of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)
The government websites hosting the interactive
geo-hazard maps include that of the DENR
(wwwdenrgovph) Mines and Geosciences Bureau
(wwwmgbgovph) Philippine Information Agency
(wwwpiagovph) and that of Environmental Science for
Social Change (wwwesscorgph)
DENR-13 Regional Executive Director Nonito M Tamayo
signed on ( March 202014) the application for Special Land Use
Permit ( SLUP) of the GMA Network Inc for the establishment of
a TV Relay Station at Sitio Matin-ao Barangay Bonbon
Buuan City Witnessing the contract signing are For Maritess M
Ocampo OIC Regional Technical DIrector of Forest Management
Services Engr Denis B Gatchalian a staff under the Broadcast
Engineering Services representing the GMA Network Those at the
back who witnessed the signing are OIC Cenro of Nasipit Agusan
del Norte For Norman Asugan the OIC Chief of the FRDD DENR
13 For Mila J Garcia the OIC CHief of the FRCD DENR 13
For Raul A Rosales and a staff of the FMS For Roel A Rosales
The signing rite was held at the ORED Conference Room DENR
13 Barangay Ambago Butuan City ( Photo by Eric F Gallego
Chief of RPAODENR 13)
FROM PAGE 13 Poor Farmers get richer
January to June 2014 January to June 2014
More than 300 workers and operators of Wood Processing Plants furniture shops and lumber dealers in Butuan City planted tree seedlings at the Mt
Mayapay Watershed in Ginabsan Buenavista on Thursday March 06 2013 to demonstrate their full support to the National Greening Program
The participants brought with them shovels and other garden tools and assembled at the Sports Center in Barangay Libertad in Butuan City as
early as 5 am before they walked and scaled the two - kilometers (20 -degree ) rolling slopes of the western side of Mount Mayapay They planted more than
500 tree seedlings of mahogany narra african tulip and acasia mangium species at the 225-hectare tree planting site set aside to them by the DENR
The workers and operators of the wood processing plants have committed to support the NGP
which is actually needed to ensure a better chance of survival rate of 85 percent The DENR 13 Regional
Director Nonito M Tamayo expressed his sincere thanks to the people for participating in the tree plant-
ing activity ldquo I hope the DENR and the WPP can do this regularly the more seedlings we plant the
better for the next generation rdquo Director Tamayo said during an interview with the ABS-CBN reporters
He said ldquo the DENR expects a good survival rate of the seedlings owing to the commitment
of the WPP supporters which can be achieved through proper care and maintenance rdquo Director Tamayo
said Since 2011 the CENR Office in Nasipit has recorded about 112500 tree seedlings of indigenous
species were planted in 375 hectares brush-land at the Mt Mayapay Watershed under the NGP
The OIC CENR Officer of Nasipit Norman Asugan said more participation from the commu-
nity academe non-government organization the private and the LGU should be encouraged to partici-
pate in the tree planting activities which his personnel at the forest development section have given at-
tention ldquo We share the vision of our community leaders of bringing back the forest of Mt
Mayapay in the days ahead rsquorsquo Forester Asugan said
By Eric F Gallego
BUTUAN CITY - The DENR Research personnel in Region 13 headed by OIC Regional Technical Director Ronilo Salac with the assistance of dozens of ldquojob -order ldquoworkers have bagged thousands seeds of premium and diptherocarp species at its Clonal Nursery Center in Barangay Buod in this city to replenish the 30000 seedlings used in the replanting activities of PENRO Tandag Surigao del Sur as the nation celebrates the Earth Day festival with the theme ldquo Earth Day every day everywhere for everyonerdquoon Tuesday April 22 2014 In some parts of the region the Regional Executive Director Nonito M Tamayo led the tree planting ceremony together with the local government officials and other national government agencies and private organizations held at the DENR Wildlife Rescue Center in Kicharao Agusan del Norte The Agusan del Sur PENRO Roberto Oliveros have revisited the sites of the National Greening Program ( NGP) in Talacogon and Bayugan to check the progress of the survival of the tree seedlings which were planted in January this year by the members of the Community-Based Forest Management Agree-ment holders He also led the tree planting activities together with
the field personnel of CENRO San Fran-cisco Bunawan Loreto Talacogon and Bayugan at Mt Magdiwata in San Francisco Agusan del Sur The PENR offices in Surigao City and Dinagat Province and the CENR offices in Lianga Barobo and Cantilan in Surigao del Sur have conducted similar tree planting activities in separate locations The Environment Management Bureau Regional Office personnel have conducted coastal clean- up at Barangay Masao in Butuan City
DENR-13 plants 30000 tree seedlings on
Earth Day 2014
4 17
CENRO Nasipit gets support of Lumber workers
and operators in Butuan City for NGP
KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN
Students of the Agusan del Norte High School in Butuan City plant 1500
mangrove (bakhaw) propagules at an islet near the Delta of Agusan River
in Barangay Lumbokan Butuan City in support of the National Greening
Program of the DENR
Rising sea levels means greater risk of storm
surges and wave damage to coastline
Increasing frequency of extreme weather
results in greater and wider outbreak of disease
The changing climate is altering natural environment
increasing the vulnerability of plants and animal species
A MESSAGE FROM THE DENR-13 PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE
KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN January to June 2014 January to June 2014
Butuan City ndash Barely two years after Executive Order No 23 was implemented illegal logging and
timber poaching activities have slowed down in the Region particularly in Agusan del Sur which is
noted as ldquohot spot areardquo
DENR-13 Regional Executive Director Nonito M Tamayo made the report during the recent 1st Man-
agement Conference (ManCon ) held at the DENR Regional Office on February 05 2014 after analyz-
ing the reports submitted by the five PENR officers of Agusan del Nore Agusan del Sur Surigao del
Norte Surigao del Sur and Dinagat province
ldquo A significant decline in illegal loggging activities has been noted from 2011 to 2013 report
owing to intensified campaign made be the DENR in coordination with the Philippine National Police
and the Philippine Army rdquo RED Tamayo said
In Agusan del Sur where illegal logging activities has been a problem for several years PEN-
RO Roberto Oliveros reported that apprehension of illegal logs and lumber made in 2013 was
264741 cubic meters of logs and 6616676 board feet of lumber He said the the report noted a reduction
of apprehensions compared in 2012 with a record 364061 cubic meters logs and 29222363 board feet
lumber ldquo
According to PENRO Oliveros the all-out campaign on anti-illegal logging campaign in 2012
made significant factor in slowing down the illegal logging activities after the operations shifted to high gear
following the implementation of Executive Order 23 issued by President Benigno S Aquino III in February
1 2011 EO 23 is the declaration of moratorium on the cutting and harvesting of timber in the natural and
residual forests and creating the anti-illegal logging task force
Director Tamayo said he has high expectations
CRITICAL HABITAT FOR MARINE TURTLE ---DENR-13
Regional Director Nonito M Tamayo ( left ) and Mayor Ramon Calo of
Carmen Agusan del Norte shake hands after signing a Memorandum of
Agreement for the development propagation and plantation of mangrove
seedlings and beach forest along the shorelines of Carmen Agusan del
Norte ( Photo by RPAO Cristine Selanova)
The two new eaglets discovered in the mountains of the
Zamboanga peninsula in December last year have kept the hopes of the
Filipino people alive in saving the Philippine Eagle (Pithecophaga jefferyi)
from extinction
DENR 13 Regional Director made this encouraging remarks
over the radio at the start of the 10th celebration of the Philippine Eagle Week
last June 4-10 He encouraged the people to take part in the observance
of the Philippine Eagle Week ldquo The people particularly those living in the
hinterlands must understand the importance of protecting of the Philippine
Eagle which also known as
ldquo Haring Ibonrdquo or ldquo Agila
rdquo in local dialect
The celebration this year
according to Secretary Paje
is considered ldquoextra
special ldquo because two new
additions to the
eaglersquos population were
recorded in December last
yearrdquo ldquo This discovery
provides a glimmer of
hope for the national birdrdquo
Secretary Paje said referring to the report of the birth of two new eagles in
Linay Zamboanga del Norte and Midsalip Zamboanga del Sur
ldquoIn the midst of the government efforts to restore our dwindling
forests the presence of these birds boosts our hope of achieving a thriving
forest ecosystem and a constant reminder that wildlife can co-exist
harmoniously with humans Paje said The DENR in cooperation with the
Haribon and the LGU of Gabaldon is intensifying their efforts to protect
Mt Mingan from human activities to preserve the population of the eagle
In Caraga Region Director Tamayo said there were sightings of
Philippine Eagles hovering the vast forest areas of Mt Hilong-Hilong in the
eastern section of Agusan del Norte and the former timber land area of the
defunct Surigao Development Corp (SUDECOR ) in Surigao del Sur and in
the erstwhile timber concession area of PICOP in Bislig City
Acclaimed as one of the treasures of the Philippine wild the
national bird is the largest eagle in the world With its height of one meter and
a wing span of two meters the Philippine eagle reigns supreme in the tropical
forest as a top predator A pair of this majestic bird occupies 7000 to 13000
hectares of forest territory
Butuan City ndashThe Department of Environment and Natural Resources Region 13
and the Municipal Government of Carmen Agusan del Norte have entered into
an Agreement to establish a monitoring station for the 575620 hectares-
coastal areas in five barangays declared by the DENR as Critical Habitat for
Marine Turtles
This means that human activities at the shore lines of Barangays Vina-
por Gosoon San Agustin Cahayagan and Tagcatong in Carmen Agusan del
Norte shall be regulated to protect the the marine turtles which make the beach
as their nesting ground
DENR-13 Regional Executive Director Nonito M Tamayo and Mayor
Ramon Calo signed the MOA at a simple ceremony held at a beach in
Barangay Tagcatong in Carmen Agusan del Norte on March 252014 Witness-
ing the ceremony are the OIC CENR Officer of Nasipit Norman A Asugan
PENR Officer Paterno B Olivera the Barangay Captain of Tagcatong Eva D
Palarca and the Richard Palang-at of Vinapor Carmen
The DENR also donated 14223 cubic meters of mixed Dipterocarp
flitches and miscellaneous species to the municipal government of Carmen for the
construction of monitoring station
The LGU in Carmen under the agreement shall provide funds for the
construction It will also provide an area for the station and personnel who will
man the monitoring station Mayor Calo assured Director Tamayo that he
will personally supervise the protection management and development of
the marine turtle sanctuary
Aside from the wood materials the DENR has also provided the con-
struction of billboards that will properly guide the public including the conduct
of regular monitoring and evaluation to ensure proper conservation management
and development of the critical habitat
The five barangays in Carmen was declared by the DENR as Critical
Habitat for Marine Turtles by virtue of Department Special Order 2012-08 on
October 8 2013 signed by DENR Secretary Ramon JP Paje
KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN 16 5
January to June 2014 KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN January to June 2014
DENR ties up with LGU Carmen
in monitoring sea turtles Two new eaglets keep hopes
of the Filipino people alive
Eagle Week celebration
Illegal logging activities slowed down in Caraga
BUTUAN CITY mdashDENR-13 OIC Regional Director Nonito M Tamayo has
commended on Monday ( March 10 2014 ) the leadership of the Philippine
National Police Regional Office 13 headed by Police Chief Superintendent Domina-
dor Eslava Aquino Jr for continued support in the anti-illegal logging campaign
that resulted in slowing down the illegal logging incidents in the region by 60 percent
Director Tamayo expressed the compliment during a Flag Raising ceremony
of the PNP at the Philippine National Police Regional Command at Camp Rodriguez
in Butuan City where he was invited as Guest Speaker
He said that since the Police and the Philippine Army took the lead in the
campaign two years after President Aquino declared a total log ban in the natural and
residual forest a significant drop in incidence of illegal logging and timber poaching
in Caraga region has been noted by the DENR
From a record apprehension of 495560111 board feet lumber made in
2010 a dramatic decline in apprehensions has been noted in 2013 to 261718942
board feet lumber It declined further in the first two months of 2014 to 30158139
board feet of lumber ldquo This is a good indication that the all-out anti-illegal logging
drive with he PNP and the military at the forefront is successful ldquo Tamayo said
In the last four years of campaign at least six personnel were killed The
latest incident was Jaime Cosmiano Diez a tree marker who was killed in front of his
wife and children inside his house in Bayugan Agusan del Sur on February 23 2012
6 15
DENR 13 forest officers in coordination with the Philippine National Police and the Philippine Army have appre-
hended about 1439 pieces or 11382 cubic meters of fresh- illegally cut logs from eight different mini sawmills
during two days anti-illegal logging operations at the remote Barangay Baylo in San Luis Agusan del Sur raising
speculations that some local officials maybe behind the illegal trading operations
ldquo Actually several raids have been made by the CENRO personnel in previous months but the illegal
sawmilling operations resurface weeks after the DENR operatives are gone ldquo OIC CENR Officer of Talacogon
Luis Guevarra said ldquo It is like hide and seek game but we can hardly operate in the area as often without police
backups considering the place is known as hub of timber poachers and armed supporters ldquo he added Barangay
Baylo is about 15 kilometers away from the nearest Philippine Army Detachment under Lt Col Rolando Dumawa
The latest raid was backed up by three platoons of regular army soldiers from the 26th Army Infantry
Batallion 4th Infantry Division and one unit from the Special Action Police Force (SAF) although the authorities
were dismayed over the sight of empty saw mill equipment and gadgets such as engines and saw-blades when
they barged into the identified mill plants as if the operators have fore knowledge of the raid
Itrsquos very disappointing ldquo PENR Officer of Agusan del Sur Roberto Oliveros said He said the area has been
on surveillance since an informant tip off the DENR of the clandestine mini saw mill operations of logs harvested by
timber poachers from a nearby defunct timberland of the PTFI Timber License Agreement holder ldquo
ldquo These illegally-cut timber arereportedlu moved through river tributaries to its destination in the
sawmilling plants built along the riverbanks It took the DENR about 48 hours with interval to extract the logs at the
different sawmills plants which included 243 pieces ( 2809 cubic meters at Purok 4 996 pieces ( 8599 cubic me-
ters) at Purok 3 at Sitio Don Alejandro all in Barangay Baylo San Luis Agusan del Sur and 200 pieces ( 1974 cubic
meters ) from the Barangay Proper of Baylo Oliveros said he was verifying reports that one of the illegal sawmill
plants is operated by a barangay official of Barangay Baylo The raid has also missed to catch the hauling of lumber
in eight Saddam-type 6-wheeler trucks which went at an undisclosed place in the nearby town of Bayugan the night
before
DENR 13 Regional Director Nonito M Tamayo said some people in that barangay are reportedly codling
with timber poachers and the operations of illegal sawmill plants have been tolerated in the area
Director Tamayo instructed PENRO Oliveros to intensify monitor of illegal logging activities in the area
and the activities of timber poachers in the former TLA holders area of operations in San Luis He said the DENR-13
personnel are expected to join forces with the DENR-11 in strengthening the monitoring of illegal logs trav-
ersing the stretch of the Maharlika Highway from Agusan del Sur Compostela Valley and Davao City
DENR 13 apprehends 1439 illegal logs
in San Luis Agusan del Sur The restriction of transport of all types of logs through the Agusan
River and its tributaries which took effect on February 102014 remain
enforced until the DENR Office of the Secretary ( OSEC) issues another
order to lift up the suspension
DENR-13 Regional Director Nonito M Tamayo said he has
submitted a detailed report of the logging trade utilizing Agusan River as
one of the ways in transporting forest products by the tree farmers and the
land owners and is being reviewed by a technical group under the Of-
fice of Undersecretary for Field Operations Demetrio L IgnacioJr
ldquo We have considered everything and consulted several sectors
of the industry environmentalists and local officials that made us to
propose that the movement of logs should be done only during daytime rdquo
RD Tamayo said ldquo Let us hope the top management would consider it rdquo he added
Since the supension took effect six month ago the DENR has stopped issuing permits for all types of logs using Agusan river and
its tributaries as waterways to move the forest products to the various wood processing plants along riverbanks in Butuan City and in other parts in Agusan
del Sur
Undersecretary Ignacio Jr has issued the log movement restriction order on Agusan river on a memorandum sent to RD Tamayo The memo
also cited wanton disregard of regulations imposed under Executive 23 by some people as one of the reasons for the restriction of log movement on
Agusan river The memo also cited that ldquorafting and towing of logs on Agusan river have contributed to the inundation and scouring of the river banks
made worst during heavy rains that has significantly contributed to the siltation of the riverrdquo ( EFG)
Log restriction movement along
Agusan River remains enforced
Agusan River
DENR-13 Regional Executive Director Nonito M Tamayo assisted by
Police Chief Supt Dominador E Aquino JrActing Regional Director of
PNP-13 and PSSUPT Joseph D Plaza Batallion Commander of 13th
RPSB pins award of medal to the three policemen namely PO2 Arin F
Dela Cruz PO1 Sherwin Clyde M Castrodes PO1 Alejandrino M Intas
of the 1st Company 13th Regional Special Police Service Batallion
DENR commends PNP -13
TO PAGE 12
KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN January to June 2014 KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN January to June 2014
BISLIG CITY mdash The construction of a ldquostate-of-the artrdquo nursery house for tree seedlings
in Bislig Surigao del Sur the first of its kind in Caraga Region being supervised by the
Ecosystem Research and Development of the DENR is expected to be completed
before the end of this year It can produce 12 million tree seedlings every year
This Mechanization and Modernization of Forest Nursery is the pet project of
DENR Secretary Ramon JP Paje in his objective to produce large volume of high-quality
planting materials through a more efficient and cost-effective methods of propagation in
support of the seedlings needs of the National Greening Program
Secretary Paje said the NGP targets to plant about 1 billion tree seedlings of dif-
ferent species planted over 15 million hectares in various areas all over the country by 2016
DENR OIC Regional Director Nonito M Tamayo has instructed his five PENROs
and 13 CENROs to plant tree seedlings that are adaptable to soil conditions in a given area
including the mangrove and beach forest on the shorelines
The mechanized nursery project was initiated by RD Tamayo and RTD Ronilo Sa-
lac of ERDS and the Bio-diversity Management Regional Office From the concept they
did everything to prove that this region deserves one allocation of the the four project sites
in the country Such modern and mechanized seedling nursery costs about P 353 million
The other areas are found in Luzon and the Visayas
Work activities of the modern nursery at the area of the ERDS in Bislig Surigao
del Sur began in January this year through the four winning bidders all of them are based in
Butuan City doing separate project components This
included the Hardening Area a 15000 sqmeter- lot
which will ensure the gradual exposure of the seedlings
into full sunlight for the sturdy and quality planting ma-
terials before they are planted into selected planting
sites It has a section called the Growing area which is
a 10000- sqmeter lot that functions as development of
geminants into seedlings At the other side is the the
Seeder Building which processes the sowing of seeds
into the styro-blocks propagation container with custom-
ized seed pads and treated through a misting area for
watering before they are placed into the greenhouse
There are two Greenhouse buildings being built at a 350 sqmeter lot in that area These build-
ings are equipped with misting devices and other facilities that helps in the germination process
of the germinants
RED Tamayo gave his assurance that the mechanized nursery will produce at least 12
million good quality seedlings yearly assuming they will come from the Seed Production area
and Individual Plus Trees ( IPTs) and have been processed at the Mindanao Tree Seed Center
He said the nursery may also provide fruit crops vegetables and cut flowers so that
the tree farmers can earn their livelihood while waiting for the tree crops to yield fruits and
harvested He expressed optimism that the project will succeed according to plans and pro-
grams laid out by the DENR technical people so that the country can enjoy a good and healthy
environment in the midst of a global climate change ( RPAO 13 Eric Gallego )
P 35-m mechanize seedling center
rises up in Bislig City
By Eric F Gallego
7 14
The City Government of Butuan City have officially proclaimed its consent to
share its 15204 -sqmeter (15 hectares) real estate property to the
Department of Environment and Natural Resources which is been utilized
by the DENR-13 Ecosystem Research and Development for the Macrosomat-
ic Clonal Propagation Complex at Sitio Buod Barangay Pinamangculan in
Butuan City since 2001
The move was made during the formal signing of the Memorandum of Agree-
ment between DENR-13 Regional Director Nonito M Tamayo and City
Mayor M Amante Jr in a simple ceremony held at the DENR clonal propa-
gation complex in that barangay on May 152014 Also present to witness the
event were Virgilio G Nery Chairman of the SP Committee on Environment
and Natural Resources City Administrator Leah A Mendoza Regional
Technical Director of DENR Research Ronill L Salac and the OIC CENR
Officer of Nasipit Norman Asungan
The city government had agreed that it shall recognize the existence of the
DENR Caraga Macrosomatic Clonal Nursery and support the DENR through providing assistance
in infrastructure and road buildings
The DENR on the other hand shall maintain the clonal nursery complex as well as
produce quality planting stocks of indigenous forest trees and other equally important species for
environment protection and rehabilitation It shall also support the city government in the
promotion of environment and natural resources development programs through provision of
technical assistance and high-quality planting materials
Director Tamayo said the complex will also serve as learning laboratory for students
and environmental science researchers He thanked the city government for sharing
responsibilities and resources with the DENR for effective implementation of environmental
activities in the city in support of Climate Change mitigation and adaptation program
Mayor Amante said the city government has envisioned to transform Butuan City
as Center of Forest in the country by 2020 Corollary to this vision of 1 million trees by 2020
the city government has started initiating tree planting activities in different areas ldquo
We are looking ahead that Butuan City will become a show window for sustainable forest-based
economy while Butuan enjoy a high-per capita incomerdquo
The City Mayor and RD Tamayor afterward proceeded to the planting site where they
planted seedling of Bagoadlau species ( Xanthostemon philippinesis ) The mayor also toured the
complex and expressed appreciation of the process of clonal procedure in seedling production
The clonal nursery was established in 2001 under the initiative of the late
Representative of the 1st District of Agusan del Norte Leovigildo Banaag (EFG)
Mayor Amante shares 15 hectare govrsquot land to the DENR
KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN January to June 2014 KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN January to June 2014
In a remote village of Lucac in San Francisco Agusan del Sur the farm-
ers who belong to the Lucac Pilot Community Forest Beneficiaries
Association ( LUPICOMFOBA) are patiently waiting for the proper time
of harvest from the tree crops and falcata trees they have planted under the
National Greening Program ( NGP ) The farmers expect to earn a hefty
income from the crops and tree plantation which are enough to send their
children to school and perhaps pursue their dreams of finishing a college degree
from fine schools in Davao City or Butuan City
The NGP has found a way in that upland community of indigenous
people to find relief who for years have been trapped in the cycle of poverty
In fact most of the 40 member farmers of that association have been in one
way engaged in illegal logging activities to make both ends meet
ldquo At that time we were focused only on the survival otherwise
we will die in starvationrdquo Mario Crecensio said in an interview during the visit
of DENR OIC Regional Director Nonito M Tamayo with PENRO Roberto Oli-
veros and other DENR field personnel
ldquo I was impressed by the achievement made by this association since
their members have enrolled in the NGPrdquo Director Tamayo said
Since the LUPICOMFIRBA was organized in 2011 many things in
the lives of the farmers have changed Most of them according to Cresencio
have shunned timber poaching and focused themselves on farming
ldquo Wersquove got plenty of banana plantation here beside the other cropsrdquo Cres-
encio said The association is earning an average income of P 10000 every week
from the sale of bananas of ldquo lakatan ldquo variety
The members have cultivated part of the 1 000 hectares timberland that
the DENR had awarded to them for rehabilitation under the Community-Based
Forest Management Agreement ( CBFMA) in the year 2000
Crecencio said the members have developed about 292 hectares of
this awarded land and planted it with rubber trees ipil-ipil and kakawate trees for
fuel wood production Afterwards he said ldquo we expanded and planted the idle 40
hectare land with fast growing falcata trees ldquo The farmers then introduced the
ldquointercroppingrdquo farm technique to double their production
ldquo We never
thought twice when we learned of the NGP We availed of the program when a DENR extension
worker came to our village one day to promote the programrdquo he said
Crecensio has revisited his idle farm owned by his parents and planted the 20-hectare agricul-
tural land with falcata seedlings He expects to earn at least P 10 million from the harvest of falcata
three years from now
ldquo I guess we are now contented with this kind of living as compared in the past ldquo he said
Director Tamayo said ldquo the main essence of the NGP is to relieve the farmers from poverty
We are seeing this principle in this place ldquo
PENRO Oliveros said that the people used to look at the forest as a source of livelihood
hence illegal logging was considered as alternative to earn incomerdquo
But the NGP has totally changed that attitude ldquo The people in that village have learned to
adopt the concept of the NGP since every farmer who has a piece of land would now want to plant tree
seedlings blend with cash cropsrdquo PENRO Oliveros said ( RPAO 13 )
8 13
NGP licks poverty in Agusan del Sur By Eric Galleo and Christine Selanova
Butuan City-- Barring any complication in about four years from now the members of the of the Aclan River Farmers Cooperative
( ARFAMCO ) in Barangay Aclan Nasipit Agusan del Norte shall be richer by more than P30 million which is the fruits of their labor
under the National Greening Program ( NGP)
But looking back on those years that the mem-
bers have gone through are pictures of gloomy experi-
ences that most of them would always remember the
saga in life that they went through to survive Most
them were dependent from the Nasipit Lumber
Company ( NALCO) and enjoying comforts in life at the
peak of its operation in the 70rsquos But when the
company had ceased its operation due to bankruptcy
they became broke and resorted to illegal logging by
relentlessly cutting trees in plantation areas
maintained by the company It was a season when
poachers have their hey days raking tremendous earn-
ings from illegal activities
The time came when the DENR restricted the
laws on PD 705 and intensified its anti-illegal logging
campaign The idled ndash former workers of NALCO could no longer trade those undocu-
mented logs in the open market as easy as before Hence they resorted to farming
through slash and burn beside illegal logging
There was never a time when the forest plantation maintained by the defunct
NALCO was seriously threatened with wanton destruction than the farmers arming
themselves with axes and sharp boloes to cut the trees for income and burn the soil so
they can plant agricultural crops ldquo Hunger stalked upon us and we need to survive from starvationrdquo Norlito T Saylon President of
the ARFAMCO said ldquo We gained at first attempt but ended up in a situation much worst than the previous years owing to unproductive landsrdquo
Saylon said ldquo We became more poorer desperate and often wanting in needs but we can not do otherwise except resort to illegal cutting to
surviverdquo he added
He said his peers were relieved when they heard of the National Greening Program ( NGP) of President Benigno S Aquino ldquo We were
happy after an extension worker from the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office ( CENRO) in Nasipit Agusan del Norte came
to our community in 2011 and offered us the chance to participate in the NGP program rdquo Saylon said
He said that they have realize then that the NGP program is good because it addresses the specific needs of their group He said there
were several livelihood opportunities available in the past years that were offered by several government agencies but the NGP is better rdquo
Saylon said To Page 18
Poor farmers get richer by P 30 million
from NGP in Aclan Nasipit Agusan del Norte
By Eric Herzon F Gallego
NORLITO T SAYLON
KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN January to June 2014 KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN January to June 2014
The DENR through the Land Management Services has acquired the services of CM ESPARRAGO SURVEYING SERVICES for the cadastral survey project of two municipalities in Surigao del Norte and Surigao City for a contract price of P 5737776 The amount will be spent in the survey of the political boundaries of Surigao City and the municipalities of Sta Monica and Dapa in Surigao del Norte DENR 13 Regional Executive Director Nonito M Tamayo has formalized the deal through the Contract of Agreement ( CoA) he signed with Engr Cristopher M Esparrago in a simple ceremony held the REDrsquos office on February 062014 The signing was also witnessed by the Regional Technical Director for Land Management Services ( LMS) Atty Paquito R Rosal and the Regional Cadastral Survey Projects Coordinator at the DENR-LMS Engr Bernard A Daitol Dapa Surigao del Norte has 140 political boundaries and 47 points along rivers and shorelines Sta Monica Surigao del Norte has 55 estimated political boundaries and 18 points along rivers and shore-lines Surigao City on the other hand has 154 political boundaries and 17 points along rivers and shoreline Under the contract the CM Esparrago Surveying Services shall complete and execute the cadastral survey of political boundaries of the said municipalities and Surigao City in at least one year time
A cadastral survey[1]
or cadastral map is a comprehensive register of the real estate or real propertys metes-and-bounds of a country It commonly includes details of the ownership the tenure the precise location (some include GPS coordinates) the dimensions (and area) the cultivations if rural and the value of individual parcels of land Cadastres are used by many nations around the world
[1] some in con-
junction with other records such as a title register
In most countries legal systems have developed around the original administrative systems and use the cadastre to define the di-mensions and location of land parcels described in legal documentation The cadastre is a fundamental source of data in disputes and lawsuits between landowners
DENR finalizes Master Plan for Agusan River
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources Region 13 Office has hired the
services of the Lichel Technologies Inc for P4950 million to finalize the Master Plan
of the Agusan River Basin (ARB) program
DENR-13 Regional Executive Director Nonito M Tamayo signed the Contract
of Agreement with the Managing Director of the Lichel Technologies Inc Rachel A Vasquez
in a simple ceremony held at the DENR Regional Conference Room in Barangay Ambago Butuan
City on Tuesday (March 18 2014 )
The scope of works as defined in the agreement involve preparations of work and
financial plan an outline of the updated enhanced Agusan River Basin Master Plan generation
of primary data undertake surveys interviews and fieldworks integrate commends and recommen-
dations generated from series of consultations and workshop with provinces cities regional tech-
nical working groups regional development councils indigenous cultural and tribal communities
conduct analysis on the conflicting tenurial claims and mining tenements employ GIS and remote
sensing technology in the analysis of the basinrsquos condition identification of development interven-
tions Bio-physical assessment by sub-basin disaster risk assessment and climate change
vulnerability assessment land use analysis by sub basin specific for flooding flood modelling
using 100 years hydro-meteorological data and re-packaging of the master plan among others
9 12
ldquo The heroic act of PNP personnel and the DENR
personnel at the forefront of the anti-illegal log-
ging campaign is laudable and exceptional for
the DENR top management recognized their
sacrfices and contributions in the campaign rdquo he
said
ldquo Incidents of Illegal logging in Caraga
region are steadily going down owing to the inten-
sive police and military campaign which prompt
timber poacher and smugglers to pause and think
twice with their illegal activities rdquo Director
Tamayo said
During the occasion the DENR gave
certificates of recognition and P 100000 cash
incentive each to PO2 Arwin F Dela Cruz PO1
Sherwin Clyde M Castrodes PO1 Alejandro M
Intas of the 1st Company Regional Police Securi-
ty Batallion They were with the team of DENR
personnel trying to retrieve several pieces of ille-
gal logs in Barobo Surigao del Sur recently when
DENR seeks police assistance in monitoring of
closed vans with illegal forest products
KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN
The Police and the Philippine Army have been asked to tighten its monitoring
on the closed vans and trucks that are traversing the major highways to Davao fol-
lowing reports that they are carrying lumber products of banned species
ldquo Wersquove been informed that timber poachers are processing illegally-cut logs
of banned species a into small pieces materials from a secluded area which are then
placed on closed vans before they are transported to a plywood processing plants in
Davao City Cebu and Manila for plywood materialsrdquo Regional Director Nonito M
Tamayo said
At present all the wood processing plants in cities of Butuan and Cagayan de
Oro are using falcata gubas or acacia mangium species for their plywood production
because of the prevailing ban on cutting of hardwoods by virtue of Executive Order
No 23
Reports said however that some plywood plant operators in some areas of Mindanao are buying these illegal products from
unscrupulous poachers ldquoWe are finding difficulty in monitoring the movement of these undocumented forest products after they are
put on sealed vans ldquo Tamayo said
FROM PAGE 6 hellip DENR Commends PNP-13
DENR conducts survey of political boundaries in Surigao City Dapa and Sta Monica in Surgao del Norte
Butuan City ndash A worker a mining area in Tubay Agusan del Norte rescued a juvenile Frigate bird in March 2014 and
turn it over to the DENR authorities ldquo The bird appeared to be exhausted and trying to regain its strength from
a long flight ldquo Roed Nakila a mining worker said
ldquo We thought it was dead but when we got near the bird is struggling so we took it to our shelter ldquo he said
ldquoItrsquos was the first time I saw that kind of bird ldquo Nakila said adding he was tempted on keeping it as pet
The juvenile frigate bird measures 94 centimeters with a wingspan of 198 centimeters It weighs about 500
grams The Frigate birds are a family of seabirds also known as frigate pelicans It can be found breeding along the
Pacific coast of Costa Rica particularly at the Corcovado National Park An adult Frigate birds measures 1 meter long
with a 215 meter wingspan The males have a red pouch that is inflated during the breeding season to attract a mate
Females are black but have a white breast and lower neck sides a brown band on the wings and a blue eye ring
They lack the ability to take off from water so they snatch prey from the ocean surface or beach using their long hooked bills Frigate birds are
seasonally monogamous which means they only mate with one female per season
Frigate birds are not classified as an endangered species but populations appear to be declining mainly due to human destruction of habitat for housing
and resorts and disturbance in colonies Introducing predators on islands and over-fishing are also potential problems They spend days and nights on the air with
an average ground speed of 10 kmhour covering 223 km before landing
DENR -13 Protected Area and Wildlife has declared the juvenile Frigate to be in good condition after it was examined at the Regional Animal Disease
Diagnostic Lab at Barangay Taguibo Butuan City ( EFG)
Mining worker saves a juvenile Frigate bird
January to June 2014 January to June 2014
The employees of the DENR Region 13 have successfully con-
cluded the Environment Month Celebration on Monday with the
call of readiness in the face of the Global Climate Change amid
funs and games and talent competition held at the DENR 13 Cov-
ered Court in Barangay Ambago Butuan City on June 30 2014
28 individuals including seven companies and local gov-
ernment units were given Certificates of Recognition as ldquo Envi-
ronmental Heroesrdquo for their untainted support to the programs of
the DENR in particular the Anti- Illegal Logging Campaign and
the National Greening Program (NGP)
ldquo I wish to thank all those individuals companies local government units the Philippine National Police and the Philippine
Army under the 4th Infantry Division who help in pursuing the goals and programs of the DENR with the objective of uplifting the living condition of the people in
the uplands and remote mountain villagesrsquo Regional Director Nonito M Tamayo said in his remarks at the culmination program
Amidst the celebration however Director Tamayo reminded the people to take extra careful of the danger pose by the rising sea level owing to intense ef-
fect of Global Warming that also triggers Global Climate Change
Although it was not his intention to spoil the party Director Tamayo nevertheless reminded the audience about the recent disaster in provinces of Leyte Sa-
mar and other provinces in the Eastern Visayas hit by Typhoon Yolanda in November 8 last year which claimed hundreds of human lives and destroyed billion of
pesos worth of infrastructure agriculture schools buildings and houses could happen again in the days ahead ldquo This is the new normal disaster where you can see
storm surges caused by strong typhoonsrdquo Tamayo said
ldquo It would be best for all of us particularly those people living along the coastal areas to be ready and prepared all the time since our guarantee of our safety is
uncertain in the face of the climate changerdquo he said
January to June 2014 January to June 2014 KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN 10 11
ldquo When you see a standing tree ponder on the crucial role it plays in carbon dioxide sequestrationrdquo by
DENR 13 Regional Director Nonito M Tamayo said on the opening salvo of the Environment Month celebration
ldquo Trees provide a very important role in carbon dioxide sequestration the so -called major factor in the
global warming of the earth ldquo he said as the DENR employees prepares to hold a motorcade on Thursday June 5
from Butuan City to Calac-an Magallanes Agusan del Norte to drumbeat the World Environment Day with the
theme ldquo Raise your voice not the sea levelrdquo The partici-
pants in motorcade have planted mangrove at the
shorelines of Magallanes on that day
Director Tamayo said folk in the hinterlands often
see the trees as source of livelihood when they cut and sell
them to the wood processing plants for money to survive ldquo
But little did they know that the trees play a crucial
role in removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere
through the natural process of photosynthesis and store the
carbon in their leaves branches stems barks and rootsrdquo
Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a natural greenhouse gas
in the atmosphere partly responsible for the earthrsquos
relatively stable climate It is a lsquogreenhousersquo gas because it
traps heat near the earth surface contributing to [observed
and predicted] global warming
He said human activities especially the burning of
fossil fuels such as coals and oil and destruction of natural
forest are greatly increasing the level of Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere Based on scientist findings the
level of CO2 in the atmosphere has increased last century from 284 parts per million in 1832 to about 387
parts per million in 2009 Other gases that have much greater warming impact than carbon dioxide are
methane and nitrous oxide
Tamayo said the DENR has been issuing various warnings in the past that the Philippines is likely to
experience more extreme weather patterns with higher average temperatures possibly long heatwaves and
minimal rainfall if the Greenhouse Effect proceeds as predicted
He said the trees have good uses in arresting Carbon dioxide emissions and therefore the people
should be encouraged to increase the area of forest and tree plantations ldquo Natural and planted forest act as
sink for absorbing CO2 from the atmosphererdquo Director Tamayo said
Director Tamayo said the people should support the National Greening Program (NGP) being implemented through the DENR The program seeks to plant
15 billion seedlings in 15 million hectares of timberlands nationwide from 2011 to 2016
He cited an Australian Greenhouse Office report that ldquo trees in forest ( including plantations) if well-stocked typically sequester carbon at a maximum
rate between about age 10 and age 20-30 As an indication the report says that at age 30 years about 200 to 520 tonnes Carbon dioxide equivalent are sequestered
per hectare in the forestrdquo
ldquo After this age if the trees are not harvested the report says ldquo the sequestration rate slows gradually until maturity of about 80 to 100 years of age and
flattens out from then on as growth is balanced by decayrdquo
Director Tamayo said the people therefore is encouraged to support the reforestation program of the government through the NGP
He said that based on scientific findings ldquo reforesting cleared areas will create carbon sinks to counteract greenhouse gas emissions and will assist in other aspects of
environmental improvement such as salinity control and creation of wildlife habitatrdquo
Bitaog The Philippine Centennial Tree
ldquo When you see a standing tree think about its crucial role rdquo The 2014 Environment Month celebration
Laro ng Lahi RPAO Chief Eric Gallego The contestant
PENRO Obet Oliveros CENRO Luis Gonzaga
Atty Jun Nistal Chief Legal PENROs Zaldy Perater and Rosendo Asunto
The members of the ARFAMCO have opted to revive the 171 hectares - waste timberland in the upland villages of Kasunugan Alikpawan
and Malapuwi These areas were almost denuded by years of kaingin The members have however strove to plant 85000 indigenous seedlings
since 2011 to date
They planted falcata seedlings on a 35-hectares area in 2011 The following year in 2012 the cooperative developed an adjacent 42-
hectares denuded timberland classified as protection forest They planted indigenous seedlings on it which consist of the species of Narra
Talisay gubat Mahogany Aguho Bagras Bahai Malapapaya Binunga Lagnob Bunot-bunot Manga-manga Bintuko Auri Ilang-ilang Alim
ituman Malapili and Bayog
The following year the members developed another 94 hectares of kaingin-laden timberland which is a protection forestland The
irregular weather pattern brought about by ldquoclimate changerdquo did not even affected the members as they worked together in maintenance job
to ensure high survival rate ldquo The mortality of seedlings was discouraging owing to hotter weather condition but it did not dampen our hopes ldquo
Saylon said He said both men and younger women have put their efforts together to water the seedlings before sunrise while the mothers have
occupied themselves at the nursery of continuous seedling productions ldquo
The NGP had changed the lives of the farmers who once -upon -a -time were engaged in timber poaching The members have even
organized a team of Bantay Gubat serving as foot patrol officers to monitor the activities at the site and ward off kaingin activities
Today we can see from a distance that the once-denuded timber land which was
destroyed by years of kaingin in Barangay Aclan is returning back to life again The
trees are growing ( EFG)
DENR 13 Regional Executive Director Nonito M Tamayo leads the tree planting activity of the more than 300 operators and workers of the wood processing plants lumber and furniture shops in Buenavista Agusan del Norte ( inset) as manifes-tation of support to the National Greening Program The DENR seeks to plant more than 30000 hectares of production and open forest lands this year ( Photo by Eric Gallego DENR 13RPAO )
The ldquo Kasikas sa Kinaiyahanrdquo Newsletter is a Quarterly publication of the DENR 13 Caraga Region with its editorial office address at
the Regional Public Affairs Office DENR -13 Barangay Ambago Butuan City News manuscript and photograph contribution are accepted
subject to the editorial standard policy of this publication Send your comments and reactions through this email add
herzondenrcaragarpao gmailcom
Eric Herson F Gallego
Editor in Chief
PENRO CENRO and Division Chiefs
Contributing Editors
MISSION amp MANDATE
Our mission is to mobilize our citizenry in pro-
tecting conserving and managing the environ-
ment and natural resources Our mandate is to
stop environmental abuses reverse ecological deg-
radation conserve the remaining natural re-
sources and ensure that they benefit our people
EDITORIAL CONSULTANTS
Nonito M Tamayo - RD
Ronillo L Salac - OIC RTD ERDS PAW-
CZMS
Maritess M Ocampo - OIC RTD FMS
18 KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN 3
Geohazard maps now accessible in four
websites
Geohazard maps are now accessible and downloadable
from four government websites including that of a non-
government organization it was announced by the De-
partment of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)
The government websites hosting the interactive
geo-hazard maps include that of the DENR
(wwwdenrgovph) Mines and Geosciences Bureau
(wwwmgbgovph) Philippine Information Agency
(wwwpiagovph) and that of Environmental Science for
Social Change (wwwesscorgph)
DENR-13 Regional Executive Director Nonito M Tamayo
signed on ( March 202014) the application for Special Land Use
Permit ( SLUP) of the GMA Network Inc for the establishment of
a TV Relay Station at Sitio Matin-ao Barangay Bonbon
Buuan City Witnessing the contract signing are For Maritess M
Ocampo OIC Regional Technical DIrector of Forest Management
Services Engr Denis B Gatchalian a staff under the Broadcast
Engineering Services representing the GMA Network Those at the
back who witnessed the signing are OIC Cenro of Nasipit Agusan
del Norte For Norman Asugan the OIC Chief of the FRDD DENR
13 For Mila J Garcia the OIC CHief of the FRCD DENR 13
For Raul A Rosales and a staff of the FMS For Roel A Rosales
The signing rite was held at the ORED Conference Room DENR
13 Barangay Ambago Butuan City ( Photo by Eric F Gallego
Chief of RPAODENR 13)
FROM PAGE 13 Poor Farmers get richer
January to June 2014 January to June 2014
More than 300 workers and operators of Wood Processing Plants furniture shops and lumber dealers in Butuan City planted tree seedlings at the Mt
Mayapay Watershed in Ginabsan Buenavista on Thursday March 06 2013 to demonstrate their full support to the National Greening Program
The participants brought with them shovels and other garden tools and assembled at the Sports Center in Barangay Libertad in Butuan City as
early as 5 am before they walked and scaled the two - kilometers (20 -degree ) rolling slopes of the western side of Mount Mayapay They planted more than
500 tree seedlings of mahogany narra african tulip and acasia mangium species at the 225-hectare tree planting site set aside to them by the DENR
The workers and operators of the wood processing plants have committed to support the NGP
which is actually needed to ensure a better chance of survival rate of 85 percent The DENR 13 Regional
Director Nonito M Tamayo expressed his sincere thanks to the people for participating in the tree plant-
ing activity ldquo I hope the DENR and the WPP can do this regularly the more seedlings we plant the
better for the next generation rdquo Director Tamayo said during an interview with the ABS-CBN reporters
He said ldquo the DENR expects a good survival rate of the seedlings owing to the commitment
of the WPP supporters which can be achieved through proper care and maintenance rdquo Director Tamayo
said Since 2011 the CENR Office in Nasipit has recorded about 112500 tree seedlings of indigenous
species were planted in 375 hectares brush-land at the Mt Mayapay Watershed under the NGP
The OIC CENR Officer of Nasipit Norman Asugan said more participation from the commu-
nity academe non-government organization the private and the LGU should be encouraged to partici-
pate in the tree planting activities which his personnel at the forest development section have given at-
tention ldquo We share the vision of our community leaders of bringing back the forest of Mt
Mayapay in the days ahead rsquorsquo Forester Asugan said
By Eric F Gallego
BUTUAN CITY - The DENR Research personnel in Region 13 headed by OIC Regional Technical Director Ronilo Salac with the assistance of dozens of ldquojob -order ldquoworkers have bagged thousands seeds of premium and diptherocarp species at its Clonal Nursery Center in Barangay Buod in this city to replenish the 30000 seedlings used in the replanting activities of PENRO Tandag Surigao del Sur as the nation celebrates the Earth Day festival with the theme ldquo Earth Day every day everywhere for everyonerdquoon Tuesday April 22 2014 In some parts of the region the Regional Executive Director Nonito M Tamayo led the tree planting ceremony together with the local government officials and other national government agencies and private organizations held at the DENR Wildlife Rescue Center in Kicharao Agusan del Norte The Agusan del Sur PENRO Roberto Oliveros have revisited the sites of the National Greening Program ( NGP) in Talacogon and Bayugan to check the progress of the survival of the tree seedlings which were planted in January this year by the members of the Community-Based Forest Management Agree-ment holders He also led the tree planting activities together with
the field personnel of CENRO San Fran-cisco Bunawan Loreto Talacogon and Bayugan at Mt Magdiwata in San Francisco Agusan del Sur The PENR offices in Surigao City and Dinagat Province and the CENR offices in Lianga Barobo and Cantilan in Surigao del Sur have conducted similar tree planting activities in separate locations The Environment Management Bureau Regional Office personnel have conducted coastal clean- up at Barangay Masao in Butuan City
DENR-13 plants 30000 tree seedlings on
Earth Day 2014
4 17
CENRO Nasipit gets support of Lumber workers
and operators in Butuan City for NGP
KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN
Students of the Agusan del Norte High School in Butuan City plant 1500
mangrove (bakhaw) propagules at an islet near the Delta of Agusan River
in Barangay Lumbokan Butuan City in support of the National Greening
Program of the DENR
Rising sea levels means greater risk of storm
surges and wave damage to coastline
Increasing frequency of extreme weather
results in greater and wider outbreak of disease
The changing climate is altering natural environment
increasing the vulnerability of plants and animal species
A MESSAGE FROM THE DENR-13 PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE
KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN January to June 2014 January to June 2014
Butuan City ndash Barely two years after Executive Order No 23 was implemented illegal logging and
timber poaching activities have slowed down in the Region particularly in Agusan del Sur which is
noted as ldquohot spot areardquo
DENR-13 Regional Executive Director Nonito M Tamayo made the report during the recent 1st Man-
agement Conference (ManCon ) held at the DENR Regional Office on February 05 2014 after analyz-
ing the reports submitted by the five PENR officers of Agusan del Nore Agusan del Sur Surigao del
Norte Surigao del Sur and Dinagat province
ldquo A significant decline in illegal loggging activities has been noted from 2011 to 2013 report
owing to intensified campaign made be the DENR in coordination with the Philippine National Police
and the Philippine Army rdquo RED Tamayo said
In Agusan del Sur where illegal logging activities has been a problem for several years PEN-
RO Roberto Oliveros reported that apprehension of illegal logs and lumber made in 2013 was
264741 cubic meters of logs and 6616676 board feet of lumber He said the the report noted a reduction
of apprehensions compared in 2012 with a record 364061 cubic meters logs and 29222363 board feet
lumber ldquo
According to PENRO Oliveros the all-out campaign on anti-illegal logging campaign in 2012
made significant factor in slowing down the illegal logging activities after the operations shifted to high gear
following the implementation of Executive Order 23 issued by President Benigno S Aquino III in February
1 2011 EO 23 is the declaration of moratorium on the cutting and harvesting of timber in the natural and
residual forests and creating the anti-illegal logging task force
Director Tamayo said he has high expectations
CRITICAL HABITAT FOR MARINE TURTLE ---DENR-13
Regional Director Nonito M Tamayo ( left ) and Mayor Ramon Calo of
Carmen Agusan del Norte shake hands after signing a Memorandum of
Agreement for the development propagation and plantation of mangrove
seedlings and beach forest along the shorelines of Carmen Agusan del
Norte ( Photo by RPAO Cristine Selanova)
The two new eaglets discovered in the mountains of the
Zamboanga peninsula in December last year have kept the hopes of the
Filipino people alive in saving the Philippine Eagle (Pithecophaga jefferyi)
from extinction
DENR 13 Regional Director made this encouraging remarks
over the radio at the start of the 10th celebration of the Philippine Eagle Week
last June 4-10 He encouraged the people to take part in the observance
of the Philippine Eagle Week ldquo The people particularly those living in the
hinterlands must understand the importance of protecting of the Philippine
Eagle which also known as
ldquo Haring Ibonrdquo or ldquo Agila
rdquo in local dialect
The celebration this year
according to Secretary Paje
is considered ldquoextra
special ldquo because two new
additions to the
eaglersquos population were
recorded in December last
yearrdquo ldquo This discovery
provides a glimmer of
hope for the national birdrdquo
Secretary Paje said referring to the report of the birth of two new eagles in
Linay Zamboanga del Norte and Midsalip Zamboanga del Sur
ldquoIn the midst of the government efforts to restore our dwindling
forests the presence of these birds boosts our hope of achieving a thriving
forest ecosystem and a constant reminder that wildlife can co-exist
harmoniously with humans Paje said The DENR in cooperation with the
Haribon and the LGU of Gabaldon is intensifying their efforts to protect
Mt Mingan from human activities to preserve the population of the eagle
In Caraga Region Director Tamayo said there were sightings of
Philippine Eagles hovering the vast forest areas of Mt Hilong-Hilong in the
eastern section of Agusan del Norte and the former timber land area of the
defunct Surigao Development Corp (SUDECOR ) in Surigao del Sur and in
the erstwhile timber concession area of PICOP in Bislig City
Acclaimed as one of the treasures of the Philippine wild the
national bird is the largest eagle in the world With its height of one meter and
a wing span of two meters the Philippine eagle reigns supreme in the tropical
forest as a top predator A pair of this majestic bird occupies 7000 to 13000
hectares of forest territory
Butuan City ndashThe Department of Environment and Natural Resources Region 13
and the Municipal Government of Carmen Agusan del Norte have entered into
an Agreement to establish a monitoring station for the 575620 hectares-
coastal areas in five barangays declared by the DENR as Critical Habitat for
Marine Turtles
This means that human activities at the shore lines of Barangays Vina-
por Gosoon San Agustin Cahayagan and Tagcatong in Carmen Agusan del
Norte shall be regulated to protect the the marine turtles which make the beach
as their nesting ground
DENR-13 Regional Executive Director Nonito M Tamayo and Mayor
Ramon Calo signed the MOA at a simple ceremony held at a beach in
Barangay Tagcatong in Carmen Agusan del Norte on March 252014 Witness-
ing the ceremony are the OIC CENR Officer of Nasipit Norman A Asugan
PENR Officer Paterno B Olivera the Barangay Captain of Tagcatong Eva D
Palarca and the Richard Palang-at of Vinapor Carmen
The DENR also donated 14223 cubic meters of mixed Dipterocarp
flitches and miscellaneous species to the municipal government of Carmen for the
construction of monitoring station
The LGU in Carmen under the agreement shall provide funds for the
construction It will also provide an area for the station and personnel who will
man the monitoring station Mayor Calo assured Director Tamayo that he
will personally supervise the protection management and development of
the marine turtle sanctuary
Aside from the wood materials the DENR has also provided the con-
struction of billboards that will properly guide the public including the conduct
of regular monitoring and evaluation to ensure proper conservation management
and development of the critical habitat
The five barangays in Carmen was declared by the DENR as Critical
Habitat for Marine Turtles by virtue of Department Special Order 2012-08 on
October 8 2013 signed by DENR Secretary Ramon JP Paje
KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN 16 5
January to June 2014 KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN January to June 2014
DENR ties up with LGU Carmen
in monitoring sea turtles Two new eaglets keep hopes
of the Filipino people alive
Eagle Week celebration
Illegal logging activities slowed down in Caraga
BUTUAN CITY mdashDENR-13 OIC Regional Director Nonito M Tamayo has
commended on Monday ( March 10 2014 ) the leadership of the Philippine
National Police Regional Office 13 headed by Police Chief Superintendent Domina-
dor Eslava Aquino Jr for continued support in the anti-illegal logging campaign
that resulted in slowing down the illegal logging incidents in the region by 60 percent
Director Tamayo expressed the compliment during a Flag Raising ceremony
of the PNP at the Philippine National Police Regional Command at Camp Rodriguez
in Butuan City where he was invited as Guest Speaker
He said that since the Police and the Philippine Army took the lead in the
campaign two years after President Aquino declared a total log ban in the natural and
residual forest a significant drop in incidence of illegal logging and timber poaching
in Caraga region has been noted by the DENR
From a record apprehension of 495560111 board feet lumber made in
2010 a dramatic decline in apprehensions has been noted in 2013 to 261718942
board feet lumber It declined further in the first two months of 2014 to 30158139
board feet of lumber ldquo This is a good indication that the all-out anti-illegal logging
drive with he PNP and the military at the forefront is successful ldquo Tamayo said
In the last four years of campaign at least six personnel were killed The
latest incident was Jaime Cosmiano Diez a tree marker who was killed in front of his
wife and children inside his house in Bayugan Agusan del Sur on February 23 2012
6 15
DENR 13 forest officers in coordination with the Philippine National Police and the Philippine Army have appre-
hended about 1439 pieces or 11382 cubic meters of fresh- illegally cut logs from eight different mini sawmills
during two days anti-illegal logging operations at the remote Barangay Baylo in San Luis Agusan del Sur raising
speculations that some local officials maybe behind the illegal trading operations
ldquo Actually several raids have been made by the CENRO personnel in previous months but the illegal
sawmilling operations resurface weeks after the DENR operatives are gone ldquo OIC CENR Officer of Talacogon
Luis Guevarra said ldquo It is like hide and seek game but we can hardly operate in the area as often without police
backups considering the place is known as hub of timber poachers and armed supporters ldquo he added Barangay
Baylo is about 15 kilometers away from the nearest Philippine Army Detachment under Lt Col Rolando Dumawa
The latest raid was backed up by three platoons of regular army soldiers from the 26th Army Infantry
Batallion 4th Infantry Division and one unit from the Special Action Police Force (SAF) although the authorities
were dismayed over the sight of empty saw mill equipment and gadgets such as engines and saw-blades when
they barged into the identified mill plants as if the operators have fore knowledge of the raid
Itrsquos very disappointing ldquo PENR Officer of Agusan del Sur Roberto Oliveros said He said the area has been
on surveillance since an informant tip off the DENR of the clandestine mini saw mill operations of logs harvested by
timber poachers from a nearby defunct timberland of the PTFI Timber License Agreement holder ldquo
ldquo These illegally-cut timber arereportedlu moved through river tributaries to its destination in the
sawmilling plants built along the riverbanks It took the DENR about 48 hours with interval to extract the logs at the
different sawmills plants which included 243 pieces ( 2809 cubic meters at Purok 4 996 pieces ( 8599 cubic me-
ters) at Purok 3 at Sitio Don Alejandro all in Barangay Baylo San Luis Agusan del Sur and 200 pieces ( 1974 cubic
meters ) from the Barangay Proper of Baylo Oliveros said he was verifying reports that one of the illegal sawmill
plants is operated by a barangay official of Barangay Baylo The raid has also missed to catch the hauling of lumber
in eight Saddam-type 6-wheeler trucks which went at an undisclosed place in the nearby town of Bayugan the night
before
DENR 13 Regional Director Nonito M Tamayo said some people in that barangay are reportedly codling
with timber poachers and the operations of illegal sawmill plants have been tolerated in the area
Director Tamayo instructed PENRO Oliveros to intensify monitor of illegal logging activities in the area
and the activities of timber poachers in the former TLA holders area of operations in San Luis He said the DENR-13
personnel are expected to join forces with the DENR-11 in strengthening the monitoring of illegal logs trav-
ersing the stretch of the Maharlika Highway from Agusan del Sur Compostela Valley and Davao City
DENR 13 apprehends 1439 illegal logs
in San Luis Agusan del Sur The restriction of transport of all types of logs through the Agusan
River and its tributaries which took effect on February 102014 remain
enforced until the DENR Office of the Secretary ( OSEC) issues another
order to lift up the suspension
DENR-13 Regional Director Nonito M Tamayo said he has
submitted a detailed report of the logging trade utilizing Agusan River as
one of the ways in transporting forest products by the tree farmers and the
land owners and is being reviewed by a technical group under the Of-
fice of Undersecretary for Field Operations Demetrio L IgnacioJr
ldquo We have considered everything and consulted several sectors
of the industry environmentalists and local officials that made us to
propose that the movement of logs should be done only during daytime rdquo
RD Tamayo said ldquo Let us hope the top management would consider it rdquo he added
Since the supension took effect six month ago the DENR has stopped issuing permits for all types of logs using Agusan river and
its tributaries as waterways to move the forest products to the various wood processing plants along riverbanks in Butuan City and in other parts in Agusan
del Sur
Undersecretary Ignacio Jr has issued the log movement restriction order on Agusan river on a memorandum sent to RD Tamayo The memo
also cited wanton disregard of regulations imposed under Executive 23 by some people as one of the reasons for the restriction of log movement on
Agusan river The memo also cited that ldquorafting and towing of logs on Agusan river have contributed to the inundation and scouring of the river banks
made worst during heavy rains that has significantly contributed to the siltation of the riverrdquo ( EFG)
Log restriction movement along
Agusan River remains enforced
Agusan River
DENR-13 Regional Executive Director Nonito M Tamayo assisted by
Police Chief Supt Dominador E Aquino JrActing Regional Director of
PNP-13 and PSSUPT Joseph D Plaza Batallion Commander of 13th
RPSB pins award of medal to the three policemen namely PO2 Arin F
Dela Cruz PO1 Sherwin Clyde M Castrodes PO1 Alejandrino M Intas
of the 1st Company 13th Regional Special Police Service Batallion
DENR commends PNP -13
TO PAGE 12
KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN January to June 2014 KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN January to June 2014
BISLIG CITY mdash The construction of a ldquostate-of-the artrdquo nursery house for tree seedlings
in Bislig Surigao del Sur the first of its kind in Caraga Region being supervised by the
Ecosystem Research and Development of the DENR is expected to be completed
before the end of this year It can produce 12 million tree seedlings every year
This Mechanization and Modernization of Forest Nursery is the pet project of
DENR Secretary Ramon JP Paje in his objective to produce large volume of high-quality
planting materials through a more efficient and cost-effective methods of propagation in
support of the seedlings needs of the National Greening Program
Secretary Paje said the NGP targets to plant about 1 billion tree seedlings of dif-
ferent species planted over 15 million hectares in various areas all over the country by 2016
DENR OIC Regional Director Nonito M Tamayo has instructed his five PENROs
and 13 CENROs to plant tree seedlings that are adaptable to soil conditions in a given area
including the mangrove and beach forest on the shorelines
The mechanized nursery project was initiated by RD Tamayo and RTD Ronilo Sa-
lac of ERDS and the Bio-diversity Management Regional Office From the concept they
did everything to prove that this region deserves one allocation of the the four project sites
in the country Such modern and mechanized seedling nursery costs about P 353 million
The other areas are found in Luzon and the Visayas
Work activities of the modern nursery at the area of the ERDS in Bislig Surigao
del Sur began in January this year through the four winning bidders all of them are based in
Butuan City doing separate project components This
included the Hardening Area a 15000 sqmeter- lot
which will ensure the gradual exposure of the seedlings
into full sunlight for the sturdy and quality planting ma-
terials before they are planted into selected planting
sites It has a section called the Growing area which is
a 10000- sqmeter lot that functions as development of
geminants into seedlings At the other side is the the
Seeder Building which processes the sowing of seeds
into the styro-blocks propagation container with custom-
ized seed pads and treated through a misting area for
watering before they are placed into the greenhouse
There are two Greenhouse buildings being built at a 350 sqmeter lot in that area These build-
ings are equipped with misting devices and other facilities that helps in the germination process
of the germinants
RED Tamayo gave his assurance that the mechanized nursery will produce at least 12
million good quality seedlings yearly assuming they will come from the Seed Production area
and Individual Plus Trees ( IPTs) and have been processed at the Mindanao Tree Seed Center
He said the nursery may also provide fruit crops vegetables and cut flowers so that
the tree farmers can earn their livelihood while waiting for the tree crops to yield fruits and
harvested He expressed optimism that the project will succeed according to plans and pro-
grams laid out by the DENR technical people so that the country can enjoy a good and healthy
environment in the midst of a global climate change ( RPAO 13 Eric Gallego )
P 35-m mechanize seedling center
rises up in Bislig City
By Eric F Gallego
7 14
The City Government of Butuan City have officially proclaimed its consent to
share its 15204 -sqmeter (15 hectares) real estate property to the
Department of Environment and Natural Resources which is been utilized
by the DENR-13 Ecosystem Research and Development for the Macrosomat-
ic Clonal Propagation Complex at Sitio Buod Barangay Pinamangculan in
Butuan City since 2001
The move was made during the formal signing of the Memorandum of Agree-
ment between DENR-13 Regional Director Nonito M Tamayo and City
Mayor M Amante Jr in a simple ceremony held at the DENR clonal propa-
gation complex in that barangay on May 152014 Also present to witness the
event were Virgilio G Nery Chairman of the SP Committee on Environment
and Natural Resources City Administrator Leah A Mendoza Regional
Technical Director of DENR Research Ronill L Salac and the OIC CENR
Officer of Nasipit Norman Asungan
The city government had agreed that it shall recognize the existence of the
DENR Caraga Macrosomatic Clonal Nursery and support the DENR through providing assistance
in infrastructure and road buildings
The DENR on the other hand shall maintain the clonal nursery complex as well as
produce quality planting stocks of indigenous forest trees and other equally important species for
environment protection and rehabilitation It shall also support the city government in the
promotion of environment and natural resources development programs through provision of
technical assistance and high-quality planting materials
Director Tamayo said the complex will also serve as learning laboratory for students
and environmental science researchers He thanked the city government for sharing
responsibilities and resources with the DENR for effective implementation of environmental
activities in the city in support of Climate Change mitigation and adaptation program
Mayor Amante said the city government has envisioned to transform Butuan City
as Center of Forest in the country by 2020 Corollary to this vision of 1 million trees by 2020
the city government has started initiating tree planting activities in different areas ldquo
We are looking ahead that Butuan City will become a show window for sustainable forest-based
economy while Butuan enjoy a high-per capita incomerdquo
The City Mayor and RD Tamayor afterward proceeded to the planting site where they
planted seedling of Bagoadlau species ( Xanthostemon philippinesis ) The mayor also toured the
complex and expressed appreciation of the process of clonal procedure in seedling production
The clonal nursery was established in 2001 under the initiative of the late
Representative of the 1st District of Agusan del Norte Leovigildo Banaag (EFG)
Mayor Amante shares 15 hectare govrsquot land to the DENR
KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN January to June 2014 KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN January to June 2014
In a remote village of Lucac in San Francisco Agusan del Sur the farm-
ers who belong to the Lucac Pilot Community Forest Beneficiaries
Association ( LUPICOMFOBA) are patiently waiting for the proper time
of harvest from the tree crops and falcata trees they have planted under the
National Greening Program ( NGP ) The farmers expect to earn a hefty
income from the crops and tree plantation which are enough to send their
children to school and perhaps pursue their dreams of finishing a college degree
from fine schools in Davao City or Butuan City
The NGP has found a way in that upland community of indigenous
people to find relief who for years have been trapped in the cycle of poverty
In fact most of the 40 member farmers of that association have been in one
way engaged in illegal logging activities to make both ends meet
ldquo At that time we were focused only on the survival otherwise
we will die in starvationrdquo Mario Crecensio said in an interview during the visit
of DENR OIC Regional Director Nonito M Tamayo with PENRO Roberto Oli-
veros and other DENR field personnel
ldquo I was impressed by the achievement made by this association since
their members have enrolled in the NGPrdquo Director Tamayo said
Since the LUPICOMFIRBA was organized in 2011 many things in
the lives of the farmers have changed Most of them according to Cresencio
have shunned timber poaching and focused themselves on farming
ldquo Wersquove got plenty of banana plantation here beside the other cropsrdquo Cres-
encio said The association is earning an average income of P 10000 every week
from the sale of bananas of ldquo lakatan ldquo variety
The members have cultivated part of the 1 000 hectares timberland that
the DENR had awarded to them for rehabilitation under the Community-Based
Forest Management Agreement ( CBFMA) in the year 2000
Crecencio said the members have developed about 292 hectares of
this awarded land and planted it with rubber trees ipil-ipil and kakawate trees for
fuel wood production Afterwards he said ldquo we expanded and planted the idle 40
hectare land with fast growing falcata trees ldquo The farmers then introduced the
ldquointercroppingrdquo farm technique to double their production
ldquo We never
thought twice when we learned of the NGP We availed of the program when a DENR extension
worker came to our village one day to promote the programrdquo he said
Crecensio has revisited his idle farm owned by his parents and planted the 20-hectare agricul-
tural land with falcata seedlings He expects to earn at least P 10 million from the harvest of falcata
three years from now
ldquo I guess we are now contented with this kind of living as compared in the past ldquo he said
Director Tamayo said ldquo the main essence of the NGP is to relieve the farmers from poverty
We are seeing this principle in this place ldquo
PENRO Oliveros said that the people used to look at the forest as a source of livelihood
hence illegal logging was considered as alternative to earn incomerdquo
But the NGP has totally changed that attitude ldquo The people in that village have learned to
adopt the concept of the NGP since every farmer who has a piece of land would now want to plant tree
seedlings blend with cash cropsrdquo PENRO Oliveros said ( RPAO 13 )
8 13
NGP licks poverty in Agusan del Sur By Eric Galleo and Christine Selanova
Butuan City-- Barring any complication in about four years from now the members of the of the Aclan River Farmers Cooperative
( ARFAMCO ) in Barangay Aclan Nasipit Agusan del Norte shall be richer by more than P30 million which is the fruits of their labor
under the National Greening Program ( NGP)
But looking back on those years that the mem-
bers have gone through are pictures of gloomy experi-
ences that most of them would always remember the
saga in life that they went through to survive Most
them were dependent from the Nasipit Lumber
Company ( NALCO) and enjoying comforts in life at the
peak of its operation in the 70rsquos But when the
company had ceased its operation due to bankruptcy
they became broke and resorted to illegal logging by
relentlessly cutting trees in plantation areas
maintained by the company It was a season when
poachers have their hey days raking tremendous earn-
ings from illegal activities
The time came when the DENR restricted the
laws on PD 705 and intensified its anti-illegal logging
campaign The idled ndash former workers of NALCO could no longer trade those undocu-
mented logs in the open market as easy as before Hence they resorted to farming
through slash and burn beside illegal logging
There was never a time when the forest plantation maintained by the defunct
NALCO was seriously threatened with wanton destruction than the farmers arming
themselves with axes and sharp boloes to cut the trees for income and burn the soil so
they can plant agricultural crops ldquo Hunger stalked upon us and we need to survive from starvationrdquo Norlito T Saylon President of
the ARFAMCO said ldquo We gained at first attempt but ended up in a situation much worst than the previous years owing to unproductive landsrdquo
Saylon said ldquo We became more poorer desperate and often wanting in needs but we can not do otherwise except resort to illegal cutting to
surviverdquo he added
He said his peers were relieved when they heard of the National Greening Program ( NGP) of President Benigno S Aquino ldquo We were
happy after an extension worker from the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office ( CENRO) in Nasipit Agusan del Norte came
to our community in 2011 and offered us the chance to participate in the NGP program rdquo Saylon said
He said that they have realize then that the NGP program is good because it addresses the specific needs of their group He said there
were several livelihood opportunities available in the past years that were offered by several government agencies but the NGP is better rdquo
Saylon said To Page 18
Poor farmers get richer by P 30 million
from NGP in Aclan Nasipit Agusan del Norte
By Eric Herzon F Gallego
NORLITO T SAYLON
KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN January to June 2014 KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN January to June 2014
The DENR through the Land Management Services has acquired the services of CM ESPARRAGO SURVEYING SERVICES for the cadastral survey project of two municipalities in Surigao del Norte and Surigao City for a contract price of P 5737776 The amount will be spent in the survey of the political boundaries of Surigao City and the municipalities of Sta Monica and Dapa in Surigao del Norte DENR 13 Regional Executive Director Nonito M Tamayo has formalized the deal through the Contract of Agreement ( CoA) he signed with Engr Cristopher M Esparrago in a simple ceremony held the REDrsquos office on February 062014 The signing was also witnessed by the Regional Technical Director for Land Management Services ( LMS) Atty Paquito R Rosal and the Regional Cadastral Survey Projects Coordinator at the DENR-LMS Engr Bernard A Daitol Dapa Surigao del Norte has 140 political boundaries and 47 points along rivers and shorelines Sta Monica Surigao del Norte has 55 estimated political boundaries and 18 points along rivers and shore-lines Surigao City on the other hand has 154 political boundaries and 17 points along rivers and shoreline Under the contract the CM Esparrago Surveying Services shall complete and execute the cadastral survey of political boundaries of the said municipalities and Surigao City in at least one year time
A cadastral survey[1]
or cadastral map is a comprehensive register of the real estate or real propertys metes-and-bounds of a country It commonly includes details of the ownership the tenure the precise location (some include GPS coordinates) the dimensions (and area) the cultivations if rural and the value of individual parcels of land Cadastres are used by many nations around the world
[1] some in con-
junction with other records such as a title register
In most countries legal systems have developed around the original administrative systems and use the cadastre to define the di-mensions and location of land parcels described in legal documentation The cadastre is a fundamental source of data in disputes and lawsuits between landowners
DENR finalizes Master Plan for Agusan River
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources Region 13 Office has hired the
services of the Lichel Technologies Inc for P4950 million to finalize the Master Plan
of the Agusan River Basin (ARB) program
DENR-13 Regional Executive Director Nonito M Tamayo signed the Contract
of Agreement with the Managing Director of the Lichel Technologies Inc Rachel A Vasquez
in a simple ceremony held at the DENR Regional Conference Room in Barangay Ambago Butuan
City on Tuesday (March 18 2014 )
The scope of works as defined in the agreement involve preparations of work and
financial plan an outline of the updated enhanced Agusan River Basin Master Plan generation
of primary data undertake surveys interviews and fieldworks integrate commends and recommen-
dations generated from series of consultations and workshop with provinces cities regional tech-
nical working groups regional development councils indigenous cultural and tribal communities
conduct analysis on the conflicting tenurial claims and mining tenements employ GIS and remote
sensing technology in the analysis of the basinrsquos condition identification of development interven-
tions Bio-physical assessment by sub-basin disaster risk assessment and climate change
vulnerability assessment land use analysis by sub basin specific for flooding flood modelling
using 100 years hydro-meteorological data and re-packaging of the master plan among others
9 12
ldquo The heroic act of PNP personnel and the DENR
personnel at the forefront of the anti-illegal log-
ging campaign is laudable and exceptional for
the DENR top management recognized their
sacrfices and contributions in the campaign rdquo he
said
ldquo Incidents of Illegal logging in Caraga
region are steadily going down owing to the inten-
sive police and military campaign which prompt
timber poacher and smugglers to pause and think
twice with their illegal activities rdquo Director
Tamayo said
During the occasion the DENR gave
certificates of recognition and P 100000 cash
incentive each to PO2 Arwin F Dela Cruz PO1
Sherwin Clyde M Castrodes PO1 Alejandro M
Intas of the 1st Company Regional Police Securi-
ty Batallion They were with the team of DENR
personnel trying to retrieve several pieces of ille-
gal logs in Barobo Surigao del Sur recently when
DENR seeks police assistance in monitoring of
closed vans with illegal forest products
KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN
The Police and the Philippine Army have been asked to tighten its monitoring
on the closed vans and trucks that are traversing the major highways to Davao fol-
lowing reports that they are carrying lumber products of banned species
ldquo Wersquove been informed that timber poachers are processing illegally-cut logs
of banned species a into small pieces materials from a secluded area which are then
placed on closed vans before they are transported to a plywood processing plants in
Davao City Cebu and Manila for plywood materialsrdquo Regional Director Nonito M
Tamayo said
At present all the wood processing plants in cities of Butuan and Cagayan de
Oro are using falcata gubas or acacia mangium species for their plywood production
because of the prevailing ban on cutting of hardwoods by virtue of Executive Order
No 23
Reports said however that some plywood plant operators in some areas of Mindanao are buying these illegal products from
unscrupulous poachers ldquoWe are finding difficulty in monitoring the movement of these undocumented forest products after they are
put on sealed vans ldquo Tamayo said
FROM PAGE 6 hellip DENR Commends PNP-13
DENR conducts survey of political boundaries in Surigao City Dapa and Sta Monica in Surgao del Norte
Butuan City ndash A worker a mining area in Tubay Agusan del Norte rescued a juvenile Frigate bird in March 2014 and
turn it over to the DENR authorities ldquo The bird appeared to be exhausted and trying to regain its strength from
a long flight ldquo Roed Nakila a mining worker said
ldquo We thought it was dead but when we got near the bird is struggling so we took it to our shelter ldquo he said
ldquoItrsquos was the first time I saw that kind of bird ldquo Nakila said adding he was tempted on keeping it as pet
The juvenile frigate bird measures 94 centimeters with a wingspan of 198 centimeters It weighs about 500
grams The Frigate birds are a family of seabirds also known as frigate pelicans It can be found breeding along the
Pacific coast of Costa Rica particularly at the Corcovado National Park An adult Frigate birds measures 1 meter long
with a 215 meter wingspan The males have a red pouch that is inflated during the breeding season to attract a mate
Females are black but have a white breast and lower neck sides a brown band on the wings and a blue eye ring
They lack the ability to take off from water so they snatch prey from the ocean surface or beach using their long hooked bills Frigate birds are
seasonally monogamous which means they only mate with one female per season
Frigate birds are not classified as an endangered species but populations appear to be declining mainly due to human destruction of habitat for housing
and resorts and disturbance in colonies Introducing predators on islands and over-fishing are also potential problems They spend days and nights on the air with
an average ground speed of 10 kmhour covering 223 km before landing
DENR -13 Protected Area and Wildlife has declared the juvenile Frigate to be in good condition after it was examined at the Regional Animal Disease
Diagnostic Lab at Barangay Taguibo Butuan City ( EFG)
Mining worker saves a juvenile Frigate bird
January to June 2014 January to June 2014
The employees of the DENR Region 13 have successfully con-
cluded the Environment Month Celebration on Monday with the
call of readiness in the face of the Global Climate Change amid
funs and games and talent competition held at the DENR 13 Cov-
ered Court in Barangay Ambago Butuan City on June 30 2014
28 individuals including seven companies and local gov-
ernment units were given Certificates of Recognition as ldquo Envi-
ronmental Heroesrdquo for their untainted support to the programs of
the DENR in particular the Anti- Illegal Logging Campaign and
the National Greening Program (NGP)
ldquo I wish to thank all those individuals companies local government units the Philippine National Police and the Philippine
Army under the 4th Infantry Division who help in pursuing the goals and programs of the DENR with the objective of uplifting the living condition of the people in
the uplands and remote mountain villagesrsquo Regional Director Nonito M Tamayo said in his remarks at the culmination program
Amidst the celebration however Director Tamayo reminded the people to take extra careful of the danger pose by the rising sea level owing to intense ef-
fect of Global Warming that also triggers Global Climate Change
Although it was not his intention to spoil the party Director Tamayo nevertheless reminded the audience about the recent disaster in provinces of Leyte Sa-
mar and other provinces in the Eastern Visayas hit by Typhoon Yolanda in November 8 last year which claimed hundreds of human lives and destroyed billion of
pesos worth of infrastructure agriculture schools buildings and houses could happen again in the days ahead ldquo This is the new normal disaster where you can see
storm surges caused by strong typhoonsrdquo Tamayo said
ldquo It would be best for all of us particularly those people living along the coastal areas to be ready and prepared all the time since our guarantee of our safety is
uncertain in the face of the climate changerdquo he said
January to June 2014 January to June 2014 KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN 10 11
ldquo When you see a standing tree ponder on the crucial role it plays in carbon dioxide sequestrationrdquo by
DENR 13 Regional Director Nonito M Tamayo said on the opening salvo of the Environment Month celebration
ldquo Trees provide a very important role in carbon dioxide sequestration the so -called major factor in the
global warming of the earth ldquo he said as the DENR employees prepares to hold a motorcade on Thursday June 5
from Butuan City to Calac-an Magallanes Agusan del Norte to drumbeat the World Environment Day with the
theme ldquo Raise your voice not the sea levelrdquo The partici-
pants in motorcade have planted mangrove at the
shorelines of Magallanes on that day
Director Tamayo said folk in the hinterlands often
see the trees as source of livelihood when they cut and sell
them to the wood processing plants for money to survive ldquo
But little did they know that the trees play a crucial
role in removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere
through the natural process of photosynthesis and store the
carbon in their leaves branches stems barks and rootsrdquo
Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a natural greenhouse gas
in the atmosphere partly responsible for the earthrsquos
relatively stable climate It is a lsquogreenhousersquo gas because it
traps heat near the earth surface contributing to [observed
and predicted] global warming
He said human activities especially the burning of
fossil fuels such as coals and oil and destruction of natural
forest are greatly increasing the level of Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere Based on scientist findings the
level of CO2 in the atmosphere has increased last century from 284 parts per million in 1832 to about 387
parts per million in 2009 Other gases that have much greater warming impact than carbon dioxide are
methane and nitrous oxide
Tamayo said the DENR has been issuing various warnings in the past that the Philippines is likely to
experience more extreme weather patterns with higher average temperatures possibly long heatwaves and
minimal rainfall if the Greenhouse Effect proceeds as predicted
He said the trees have good uses in arresting Carbon dioxide emissions and therefore the people
should be encouraged to increase the area of forest and tree plantations ldquo Natural and planted forest act as
sink for absorbing CO2 from the atmosphererdquo Director Tamayo said
Director Tamayo said the people should support the National Greening Program (NGP) being implemented through the DENR The program seeks to plant
15 billion seedlings in 15 million hectares of timberlands nationwide from 2011 to 2016
He cited an Australian Greenhouse Office report that ldquo trees in forest ( including plantations) if well-stocked typically sequester carbon at a maximum
rate between about age 10 and age 20-30 As an indication the report says that at age 30 years about 200 to 520 tonnes Carbon dioxide equivalent are sequestered
per hectare in the forestrdquo
ldquo After this age if the trees are not harvested the report says ldquo the sequestration rate slows gradually until maturity of about 80 to 100 years of age and
flattens out from then on as growth is balanced by decayrdquo
Director Tamayo said the people therefore is encouraged to support the reforestation program of the government through the NGP
He said that based on scientific findings ldquo reforesting cleared areas will create carbon sinks to counteract greenhouse gas emissions and will assist in other aspects of
environmental improvement such as salinity control and creation of wildlife habitatrdquo
Bitaog The Philippine Centennial Tree
ldquo When you see a standing tree think about its crucial role rdquo The 2014 Environment Month celebration
Laro ng Lahi RPAO Chief Eric Gallego The contestant
PENRO Obet Oliveros CENRO Luis Gonzaga
Atty Jun Nistal Chief Legal PENROs Zaldy Perater and Rosendo Asunto
More than 300 workers and operators of Wood Processing Plants furniture shops and lumber dealers in Butuan City planted tree seedlings at the Mt
Mayapay Watershed in Ginabsan Buenavista on Thursday March 06 2013 to demonstrate their full support to the National Greening Program
The participants brought with them shovels and other garden tools and assembled at the Sports Center in Barangay Libertad in Butuan City as
early as 5 am before they walked and scaled the two - kilometers (20 -degree ) rolling slopes of the western side of Mount Mayapay They planted more than
500 tree seedlings of mahogany narra african tulip and acasia mangium species at the 225-hectare tree planting site set aside to them by the DENR
The workers and operators of the wood processing plants have committed to support the NGP
which is actually needed to ensure a better chance of survival rate of 85 percent The DENR 13 Regional
Director Nonito M Tamayo expressed his sincere thanks to the people for participating in the tree plant-
ing activity ldquo I hope the DENR and the WPP can do this regularly the more seedlings we plant the
better for the next generation rdquo Director Tamayo said during an interview with the ABS-CBN reporters
He said ldquo the DENR expects a good survival rate of the seedlings owing to the commitment
of the WPP supporters which can be achieved through proper care and maintenance rdquo Director Tamayo
said Since 2011 the CENR Office in Nasipit has recorded about 112500 tree seedlings of indigenous
species were planted in 375 hectares brush-land at the Mt Mayapay Watershed under the NGP
The OIC CENR Officer of Nasipit Norman Asugan said more participation from the commu-
nity academe non-government organization the private and the LGU should be encouraged to partici-
pate in the tree planting activities which his personnel at the forest development section have given at-
tention ldquo We share the vision of our community leaders of bringing back the forest of Mt
Mayapay in the days ahead rsquorsquo Forester Asugan said
By Eric F Gallego
BUTUAN CITY - The DENR Research personnel in Region 13 headed by OIC Regional Technical Director Ronilo Salac with the assistance of dozens of ldquojob -order ldquoworkers have bagged thousands seeds of premium and diptherocarp species at its Clonal Nursery Center in Barangay Buod in this city to replenish the 30000 seedlings used in the replanting activities of PENRO Tandag Surigao del Sur as the nation celebrates the Earth Day festival with the theme ldquo Earth Day every day everywhere for everyonerdquoon Tuesday April 22 2014 In some parts of the region the Regional Executive Director Nonito M Tamayo led the tree planting ceremony together with the local government officials and other national government agencies and private organizations held at the DENR Wildlife Rescue Center in Kicharao Agusan del Norte The Agusan del Sur PENRO Roberto Oliveros have revisited the sites of the National Greening Program ( NGP) in Talacogon and Bayugan to check the progress of the survival of the tree seedlings which were planted in January this year by the members of the Community-Based Forest Management Agree-ment holders He also led the tree planting activities together with
the field personnel of CENRO San Fran-cisco Bunawan Loreto Talacogon and Bayugan at Mt Magdiwata in San Francisco Agusan del Sur The PENR offices in Surigao City and Dinagat Province and the CENR offices in Lianga Barobo and Cantilan in Surigao del Sur have conducted similar tree planting activities in separate locations The Environment Management Bureau Regional Office personnel have conducted coastal clean- up at Barangay Masao in Butuan City
DENR-13 plants 30000 tree seedlings on
Earth Day 2014
4 17
CENRO Nasipit gets support of Lumber workers
and operators in Butuan City for NGP
KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN
Students of the Agusan del Norte High School in Butuan City plant 1500
mangrove (bakhaw) propagules at an islet near the Delta of Agusan River
in Barangay Lumbokan Butuan City in support of the National Greening
Program of the DENR
Rising sea levels means greater risk of storm
surges and wave damage to coastline
Increasing frequency of extreme weather
results in greater and wider outbreak of disease
The changing climate is altering natural environment
increasing the vulnerability of plants and animal species
A MESSAGE FROM THE DENR-13 PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE
KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN January to June 2014 January to June 2014
Butuan City ndash Barely two years after Executive Order No 23 was implemented illegal logging and
timber poaching activities have slowed down in the Region particularly in Agusan del Sur which is
noted as ldquohot spot areardquo
DENR-13 Regional Executive Director Nonito M Tamayo made the report during the recent 1st Man-
agement Conference (ManCon ) held at the DENR Regional Office on February 05 2014 after analyz-
ing the reports submitted by the five PENR officers of Agusan del Nore Agusan del Sur Surigao del
Norte Surigao del Sur and Dinagat province
ldquo A significant decline in illegal loggging activities has been noted from 2011 to 2013 report
owing to intensified campaign made be the DENR in coordination with the Philippine National Police
and the Philippine Army rdquo RED Tamayo said
In Agusan del Sur where illegal logging activities has been a problem for several years PEN-
RO Roberto Oliveros reported that apprehension of illegal logs and lumber made in 2013 was
264741 cubic meters of logs and 6616676 board feet of lumber He said the the report noted a reduction
of apprehensions compared in 2012 with a record 364061 cubic meters logs and 29222363 board feet
lumber ldquo
According to PENRO Oliveros the all-out campaign on anti-illegal logging campaign in 2012
made significant factor in slowing down the illegal logging activities after the operations shifted to high gear
following the implementation of Executive Order 23 issued by President Benigno S Aquino III in February
1 2011 EO 23 is the declaration of moratorium on the cutting and harvesting of timber in the natural and
residual forests and creating the anti-illegal logging task force
Director Tamayo said he has high expectations
CRITICAL HABITAT FOR MARINE TURTLE ---DENR-13
Regional Director Nonito M Tamayo ( left ) and Mayor Ramon Calo of
Carmen Agusan del Norte shake hands after signing a Memorandum of
Agreement for the development propagation and plantation of mangrove
seedlings and beach forest along the shorelines of Carmen Agusan del
Norte ( Photo by RPAO Cristine Selanova)
The two new eaglets discovered in the mountains of the
Zamboanga peninsula in December last year have kept the hopes of the
Filipino people alive in saving the Philippine Eagle (Pithecophaga jefferyi)
from extinction
DENR 13 Regional Director made this encouraging remarks
over the radio at the start of the 10th celebration of the Philippine Eagle Week
last June 4-10 He encouraged the people to take part in the observance
of the Philippine Eagle Week ldquo The people particularly those living in the
hinterlands must understand the importance of protecting of the Philippine
Eagle which also known as
ldquo Haring Ibonrdquo or ldquo Agila
rdquo in local dialect
The celebration this year
according to Secretary Paje
is considered ldquoextra
special ldquo because two new
additions to the
eaglersquos population were
recorded in December last
yearrdquo ldquo This discovery
provides a glimmer of
hope for the national birdrdquo
Secretary Paje said referring to the report of the birth of two new eagles in
Linay Zamboanga del Norte and Midsalip Zamboanga del Sur
ldquoIn the midst of the government efforts to restore our dwindling
forests the presence of these birds boosts our hope of achieving a thriving
forest ecosystem and a constant reminder that wildlife can co-exist
harmoniously with humans Paje said The DENR in cooperation with the
Haribon and the LGU of Gabaldon is intensifying their efforts to protect
Mt Mingan from human activities to preserve the population of the eagle
In Caraga Region Director Tamayo said there were sightings of
Philippine Eagles hovering the vast forest areas of Mt Hilong-Hilong in the
eastern section of Agusan del Norte and the former timber land area of the
defunct Surigao Development Corp (SUDECOR ) in Surigao del Sur and in
the erstwhile timber concession area of PICOP in Bislig City
Acclaimed as one of the treasures of the Philippine wild the
national bird is the largest eagle in the world With its height of one meter and
a wing span of two meters the Philippine eagle reigns supreme in the tropical
forest as a top predator A pair of this majestic bird occupies 7000 to 13000
hectares of forest territory
Butuan City ndashThe Department of Environment and Natural Resources Region 13
and the Municipal Government of Carmen Agusan del Norte have entered into
an Agreement to establish a monitoring station for the 575620 hectares-
coastal areas in five barangays declared by the DENR as Critical Habitat for
Marine Turtles
This means that human activities at the shore lines of Barangays Vina-
por Gosoon San Agustin Cahayagan and Tagcatong in Carmen Agusan del
Norte shall be regulated to protect the the marine turtles which make the beach
as their nesting ground
DENR-13 Regional Executive Director Nonito M Tamayo and Mayor
Ramon Calo signed the MOA at a simple ceremony held at a beach in
Barangay Tagcatong in Carmen Agusan del Norte on March 252014 Witness-
ing the ceremony are the OIC CENR Officer of Nasipit Norman A Asugan
PENR Officer Paterno B Olivera the Barangay Captain of Tagcatong Eva D
Palarca and the Richard Palang-at of Vinapor Carmen
The DENR also donated 14223 cubic meters of mixed Dipterocarp
flitches and miscellaneous species to the municipal government of Carmen for the
construction of monitoring station
The LGU in Carmen under the agreement shall provide funds for the
construction It will also provide an area for the station and personnel who will
man the monitoring station Mayor Calo assured Director Tamayo that he
will personally supervise the protection management and development of
the marine turtle sanctuary
Aside from the wood materials the DENR has also provided the con-
struction of billboards that will properly guide the public including the conduct
of regular monitoring and evaluation to ensure proper conservation management
and development of the critical habitat
The five barangays in Carmen was declared by the DENR as Critical
Habitat for Marine Turtles by virtue of Department Special Order 2012-08 on
October 8 2013 signed by DENR Secretary Ramon JP Paje
KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN 16 5
January to June 2014 KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN January to June 2014
DENR ties up with LGU Carmen
in monitoring sea turtles Two new eaglets keep hopes
of the Filipino people alive
Eagle Week celebration
Illegal logging activities slowed down in Caraga
BUTUAN CITY mdashDENR-13 OIC Regional Director Nonito M Tamayo has
commended on Monday ( March 10 2014 ) the leadership of the Philippine
National Police Regional Office 13 headed by Police Chief Superintendent Domina-
dor Eslava Aquino Jr for continued support in the anti-illegal logging campaign
that resulted in slowing down the illegal logging incidents in the region by 60 percent
Director Tamayo expressed the compliment during a Flag Raising ceremony
of the PNP at the Philippine National Police Regional Command at Camp Rodriguez
in Butuan City where he was invited as Guest Speaker
He said that since the Police and the Philippine Army took the lead in the
campaign two years after President Aquino declared a total log ban in the natural and
residual forest a significant drop in incidence of illegal logging and timber poaching
in Caraga region has been noted by the DENR
From a record apprehension of 495560111 board feet lumber made in
2010 a dramatic decline in apprehensions has been noted in 2013 to 261718942
board feet lumber It declined further in the first two months of 2014 to 30158139
board feet of lumber ldquo This is a good indication that the all-out anti-illegal logging
drive with he PNP and the military at the forefront is successful ldquo Tamayo said
In the last four years of campaign at least six personnel were killed The
latest incident was Jaime Cosmiano Diez a tree marker who was killed in front of his
wife and children inside his house in Bayugan Agusan del Sur on February 23 2012
6 15
DENR 13 forest officers in coordination with the Philippine National Police and the Philippine Army have appre-
hended about 1439 pieces or 11382 cubic meters of fresh- illegally cut logs from eight different mini sawmills
during two days anti-illegal logging operations at the remote Barangay Baylo in San Luis Agusan del Sur raising
speculations that some local officials maybe behind the illegal trading operations
ldquo Actually several raids have been made by the CENRO personnel in previous months but the illegal
sawmilling operations resurface weeks after the DENR operatives are gone ldquo OIC CENR Officer of Talacogon
Luis Guevarra said ldquo It is like hide and seek game but we can hardly operate in the area as often without police
backups considering the place is known as hub of timber poachers and armed supporters ldquo he added Barangay
Baylo is about 15 kilometers away from the nearest Philippine Army Detachment under Lt Col Rolando Dumawa
The latest raid was backed up by three platoons of regular army soldiers from the 26th Army Infantry
Batallion 4th Infantry Division and one unit from the Special Action Police Force (SAF) although the authorities
were dismayed over the sight of empty saw mill equipment and gadgets such as engines and saw-blades when
they barged into the identified mill plants as if the operators have fore knowledge of the raid
Itrsquos very disappointing ldquo PENR Officer of Agusan del Sur Roberto Oliveros said He said the area has been
on surveillance since an informant tip off the DENR of the clandestine mini saw mill operations of logs harvested by
timber poachers from a nearby defunct timberland of the PTFI Timber License Agreement holder ldquo
ldquo These illegally-cut timber arereportedlu moved through river tributaries to its destination in the
sawmilling plants built along the riverbanks It took the DENR about 48 hours with interval to extract the logs at the
different sawmills plants which included 243 pieces ( 2809 cubic meters at Purok 4 996 pieces ( 8599 cubic me-
ters) at Purok 3 at Sitio Don Alejandro all in Barangay Baylo San Luis Agusan del Sur and 200 pieces ( 1974 cubic
meters ) from the Barangay Proper of Baylo Oliveros said he was verifying reports that one of the illegal sawmill
plants is operated by a barangay official of Barangay Baylo The raid has also missed to catch the hauling of lumber
in eight Saddam-type 6-wheeler trucks which went at an undisclosed place in the nearby town of Bayugan the night
before
DENR 13 Regional Director Nonito M Tamayo said some people in that barangay are reportedly codling
with timber poachers and the operations of illegal sawmill plants have been tolerated in the area
Director Tamayo instructed PENRO Oliveros to intensify monitor of illegal logging activities in the area
and the activities of timber poachers in the former TLA holders area of operations in San Luis He said the DENR-13
personnel are expected to join forces with the DENR-11 in strengthening the monitoring of illegal logs trav-
ersing the stretch of the Maharlika Highway from Agusan del Sur Compostela Valley and Davao City
DENR 13 apprehends 1439 illegal logs
in San Luis Agusan del Sur The restriction of transport of all types of logs through the Agusan
River and its tributaries which took effect on February 102014 remain
enforced until the DENR Office of the Secretary ( OSEC) issues another
order to lift up the suspension
DENR-13 Regional Director Nonito M Tamayo said he has
submitted a detailed report of the logging trade utilizing Agusan River as
one of the ways in transporting forest products by the tree farmers and the
land owners and is being reviewed by a technical group under the Of-
fice of Undersecretary for Field Operations Demetrio L IgnacioJr
ldquo We have considered everything and consulted several sectors
of the industry environmentalists and local officials that made us to
propose that the movement of logs should be done only during daytime rdquo
RD Tamayo said ldquo Let us hope the top management would consider it rdquo he added
Since the supension took effect six month ago the DENR has stopped issuing permits for all types of logs using Agusan river and
its tributaries as waterways to move the forest products to the various wood processing plants along riverbanks in Butuan City and in other parts in Agusan
del Sur
Undersecretary Ignacio Jr has issued the log movement restriction order on Agusan river on a memorandum sent to RD Tamayo The memo
also cited wanton disregard of regulations imposed under Executive 23 by some people as one of the reasons for the restriction of log movement on
Agusan river The memo also cited that ldquorafting and towing of logs on Agusan river have contributed to the inundation and scouring of the river banks
made worst during heavy rains that has significantly contributed to the siltation of the riverrdquo ( EFG)
Log restriction movement along
Agusan River remains enforced
Agusan River
DENR-13 Regional Executive Director Nonito M Tamayo assisted by
Police Chief Supt Dominador E Aquino JrActing Regional Director of
PNP-13 and PSSUPT Joseph D Plaza Batallion Commander of 13th
RPSB pins award of medal to the three policemen namely PO2 Arin F
Dela Cruz PO1 Sherwin Clyde M Castrodes PO1 Alejandrino M Intas
of the 1st Company 13th Regional Special Police Service Batallion
DENR commends PNP -13
TO PAGE 12
KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN January to June 2014 KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN January to June 2014
BISLIG CITY mdash The construction of a ldquostate-of-the artrdquo nursery house for tree seedlings
in Bislig Surigao del Sur the first of its kind in Caraga Region being supervised by the
Ecosystem Research and Development of the DENR is expected to be completed
before the end of this year It can produce 12 million tree seedlings every year
This Mechanization and Modernization of Forest Nursery is the pet project of
DENR Secretary Ramon JP Paje in his objective to produce large volume of high-quality
planting materials through a more efficient and cost-effective methods of propagation in
support of the seedlings needs of the National Greening Program
Secretary Paje said the NGP targets to plant about 1 billion tree seedlings of dif-
ferent species planted over 15 million hectares in various areas all over the country by 2016
DENR OIC Regional Director Nonito M Tamayo has instructed his five PENROs
and 13 CENROs to plant tree seedlings that are adaptable to soil conditions in a given area
including the mangrove and beach forest on the shorelines
The mechanized nursery project was initiated by RD Tamayo and RTD Ronilo Sa-
lac of ERDS and the Bio-diversity Management Regional Office From the concept they
did everything to prove that this region deserves one allocation of the the four project sites
in the country Such modern and mechanized seedling nursery costs about P 353 million
The other areas are found in Luzon and the Visayas
Work activities of the modern nursery at the area of the ERDS in Bislig Surigao
del Sur began in January this year through the four winning bidders all of them are based in
Butuan City doing separate project components This
included the Hardening Area a 15000 sqmeter- lot
which will ensure the gradual exposure of the seedlings
into full sunlight for the sturdy and quality planting ma-
terials before they are planted into selected planting
sites It has a section called the Growing area which is
a 10000- sqmeter lot that functions as development of
geminants into seedlings At the other side is the the
Seeder Building which processes the sowing of seeds
into the styro-blocks propagation container with custom-
ized seed pads and treated through a misting area for
watering before they are placed into the greenhouse
There are two Greenhouse buildings being built at a 350 sqmeter lot in that area These build-
ings are equipped with misting devices and other facilities that helps in the germination process
of the germinants
RED Tamayo gave his assurance that the mechanized nursery will produce at least 12
million good quality seedlings yearly assuming they will come from the Seed Production area
and Individual Plus Trees ( IPTs) and have been processed at the Mindanao Tree Seed Center
He said the nursery may also provide fruit crops vegetables and cut flowers so that
the tree farmers can earn their livelihood while waiting for the tree crops to yield fruits and
harvested He expressed optimism that the project will succeed according to plans and pro-
grams laid out by the DENR technical people so that the country can enjoy a good and healthy
environment in the midst of a global climate change ( RPAO 13 Eric Gallego )
P 35-m mechanize seedling center
rises up in Bislig City
By Eric F Gallego
7 14
The City Government of Butuan City have officially proclaimed its consent to
share its 15204 -sqmeter (15 hectares) real estate property to the
Department of Environment and Natural Resources which is been utilized
by the DENR-13 Ecosystem Research and Development for the Macrosomat-
ic Clonal Propagation Complex at Sitio Buod Barangay Pinamangculan in
Butuan City since 2001
The move was made during the formal signing of the Memorandum of Agree-
ment between DENR-13 Regional Director Nonito M Tamayo and City
Mayor M Amante Jr in a simple ceremony held at the DENR clonal propa-
gation complex in that barangay on May 152014 Also present to witness the
event were Virgilio G Nery Chairman of the SP Committee on Environment
and Natural Resources City Administrator Leah A Mendoza Regional
Technical Director of DENR Research Ronill L Salac and the OIC CENR
Officer of Nasipit Norman Asungan
The city government had agreed that it shall recognize the existence of the
DENR Caraga Macrosomatic Clonal Nursery and support the DENR through providing assistance
in infrastructure and road buildings
The DENR on the other hand shall maintain the clonal nursery complex as well as
produce quality planting stocks of indigenous forest trees and other equally important species for
environment protection and rehabilitation It shall also support the city government in the
promotion of environment and natural resources development programs through provision of
technical assistance and high-quality planting materials
Director Tamayo said the complex will also serve as learning laboratory for students
and environmental science researchers He thanked the city government for sharing
responsibilities and resources with the DENR for effective implementation of environmental
activities in the city in support of Climate Change mitigation and adaptation program
Mayor Amante said the city government has envisioned to transform Butuan City
as Center of Forest in the country by 2020 Corollary to this vision of 1 million trees by 2020
the city government has started initiating tree planting activities in different areas ldquo
We are looking ahead that Butuan City will become a show window for sustainable forest-based
economy while Butuan enjoy a high-per capita incomerdquo
The City Mayor and RD Tamayor afterward proceeded to the planting site where they
planted seedling of Bagoadlau species ( Xanthostemon philippinesis ) The mayor also toured the
complex and expressed appreciation of the process of clonal procedure in seedling production
The clonal nursery was established in 2001 under the initiative of the late
Representative of the 1st District of Agusan del Norte Leovigildo Banaag (EFG)
Mayor Amante shares 15 hectare govrsquot land to the DENR
KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN January to June 2014 KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN January to June 2014
In a remote village of Lucac in San Francisco Agusan del Sur the farm-
ers who belong to the Lucac Pilot Community Forest Beneficiaries
Association ( LUPICOMFOBA) are patiently waiting for the proper time
of harvest from the tree crops and falcata trees they have planted under the
National Greening Program ( NGP ) The farmers expect to earn a hefty
income from the crops and tree plantation which are enough to send their
children to school and perhaps pursue their dreams of finishing a college degree
from fine schools in Davao City or Butuan City
The NGP has found a way in that upland community of indigenous
people to find relief who for years have been trapped in the cycle of poverty
In fact most of the 40 member farmers of that association have been in one
way engaged in illegal logging activities to make both ends meet
ldquo At that time we were focused only on the survival otherwise
we will die in starvationrdquo Mario Crecensio said in an interview during the visit
of DENR OIC Regional Director Nonito M Tamayo with PENRO Roberto Oli-
veros and other DENR field personnel
ldquo I was impressed by the achievement made by this association since
their members have enrolled in the NGPrdquo Director Tamayo said
Since the LUPICOMFIRBA was organized in 2011 many things in
the lives of the farmers have changed Most of them according to Cresencio
have shunned timber poaching and focused themselves on farming
ldquo Wersquove got plenty of banana plantation here beside the other cropsrdquo Cres-
encio said The association is earning an average income of P 10000 every week
from the sale of bananas of ldquo lakatan ldquo variety
The members have cultivated part of the 1 000 hectares timberland that
the DENR had awarded to them for rehabilitation under the Community-Based
Forest Management Agreement ( CBFMA) in the year 2000
Crecencio said the members have developed about 292 hectares of
this awarded land and planted it with rubber trees ipil-ipil and kakawate trees for
fuel wood production Afterwards he said ldquo we expanded and planted the idle 40
hectare land with fast growing falcata trees ldquo The farmers then introduced the
ldquointercroppingrdquo farm technique to double their production
ldquo We never
thought twice when we learned of the NGP We availed of the program when a DENR extension
worker came to our village one day to promote the programrdquo he said
Crecensio has revisited his idle farm owned by his parents and planted the 20-hectare agricul-
tural land with falcata seedlings He expects to earn at least P 10 million from the harvest of falcata
three years from now
ldquo I guess we are now contented with this kind of living as compared in the past ldquo he said
Director Tamayo said ldquo the main essence of the NGP is to relieve the farmers from poverty
We are seeing this principle in this place ldquo
PENRO Oliveros said that the people used to look at the forest as a source of livelihood
hence illegal logging was considered as alternative to earn incomerdquo
But the NGP has totally changed that attitude ldquo The people in that village have learned to
adopt the concept of the NGP since every farmer who has a piece of land would now want to plant tree
seedlings blend with cash cropsrdquo PENRO Oliveros said ( RPAO 13 )
8 13
NGP licks poverty in Agusan del Sur By Eric Galleo and Christine Selanova
Butuan City-- Barring any complication in about four years from now the members of the of the Aclan River Farmers Cooperative
( ARFAMCO ) in Barangay Aclan Nasipit Agusan del Norte shall be richer by more than P30 million which is the fruits of their labor
under the National Greening Program ( NGP)
But looking back on those years that the mem-
bers have gone through are pictures of gloomy experi-
ences that most of them would always remember the
saga in life that they went through to survive Most
them were dependent from the Nasipit Lumber
Company ( NALCO) and enjoying comforts in life at the
peak of its operation in the 70rsquos But when the
company had ceased its operation due to bankruptcy
they became broke and resorted to illegal logging by
relentlessly cutting trees in plantation areas
maintained by the company It was a season when
poachers have their hey days raking tremendous earn-
ings from illegal activities
The time came when the DENR restricted the
laws on PD 705 and intensified its anti-illegal logging
campaign The idled ndash former workers of NALCO could no longer trade those undocu-
mented logs in the open market as easy as before Hence they resorted to farming
through slash and burn beside illegal logging
There was never a time when the forest plantation maintained by the defunct
NALCO was seriously threatened with wanton destruction than the farmers arming
themselves with axes and sharp boloes to cut the trees for income and burn the soil so
they can plant agricultural crops ldquo Hunger stalked upon us and we need to survive from starvationrdquo Norlito T Saylon President of
the ARFAMCO said ldquo We gained at first attempt but ended up in a situation much worst than the previous years owing to unproductive landsrdquo
Saylon said ldquo We became more poorer desperate and often wanting in needs but we can not do otherwise except resort to illegal cutting to
surviverdquo he added
He said his peers were relieved when they heard of the National Greening Program ( NGP) of President Benigno S Aquino ldquo We were
happy after an extension worker from the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office ( CENRO) in Nasipit Agusan del Norte came
to our community in 2011 and offered us the chance to participate in the NGP program rdquo Saylon said
He said that they have realize then that the NGP program is good because it addresses the specific needs of their group He said there
were several livelihood opportunities available in the past years that were offered by several government agencies but the NGP is better rdquo
Saylon said To Page 18
Poor farmers get richer by P 30 million
from NGP in Aclan Nasipit Agusan del Norte
By Eric Herzon F Gallego
NORLITO T SAYLON
KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN January to June 2014 KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN January to June 2014
The DENR through the Land Management Services has acquired the services of CM ESPARRAGO SURVEYING SERVICES for the cadastral survey project of two municipalities in Surigao del Norte and Surigao City for a contract price of P 5737776 The amount will be spent in the survey of the political boundaries of Surigao City and the municipalities of Sta Monica and Dapa in Surigao del Norte DENR 13 Regional Executive Director Nonito M Tamayo has formalized the deal through the Contract of Agreement ( CoA) he signed with Engr Cristopher M Esparrago in a simple ceremony held the REDrsquos office on February 062014 The signing was also witnessed by the Regional Technical Director for Land Management Services ( LMS) Atty Paquito R Rosal and the Regional Cadastral Survey Projects Coordinator at the DENR-LMS Engr Bernard A Daitol Dapa Surigao del Norte has 140 political boundaries and 47 points along rivers and shorelines Sta Monica Surigao del Norte has 55 estimated political boundaries and 18 points along rivers and shore-lines Surigao City on the other hand has 154 political boundaries and 17 points along rivers and shoreline Under the contract the CM Esparrago Surveying Services shall complete and execute the cadastral survey of political boundaries of the said municipalities and Surigao City in at least one year time
A cadastral survey[1]
or cadastral map is a comprehensive register of the real estate or real propertys metes-and-bounds of a country It commonly includes details of the ownership the tenure the precise location (some include GPS coordinates) the dimensions (and area) the cultivations if rural and the value of individual parcels of land Cadastres are used by many nations around the world
[1] some in con-
junction with other records such as a title register
In most countries legal systems have developed around the original administrative systems and use the cadastre to define the di-mensions and location of land parcels described in legal documentation The cadastre is a fundamental source of data in disputes and lawsuits between landowners
DENR finalizes Master Plan for Agusan River
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources Region 13 Office has hired the
services of the Lichel Technologies Inc for P4950 million to finalize the Master Plan
of the Agusan River Basin (ARB) program
DENR-13 Regional Executive Director Nonito M Tamayo signed the Contract
of Agreement with the Managing Director of the Lichel Technologies Inc Rachel A Vasquez
in a simple ceremony held at the DENR Regional Conference Room in Barangay Ambago Butuan
City on Tuesday (March 18 2014 )
The scope of works as defined in the agreement involve preparations of work and
financial plan an outline of the updated enhanced Agusan River Basin Master Plan generation
of primary data undertake surveys interviews and fieldworks integrate commends and recommen-
dations generated from series of consultations and workshop with provinces cities regional tech-
nical working groups regional development councils indigenous cultural and tribal communities
conduct analysis on the conflicting tenurial claims and mining tenements employ GIS and remote
sensing technology in the analysis of the basinrsquos condition identification of development interven-
tions Bio-physical assessment by sub-basin disaster risk assessment and climate change
vulnerability assessment land use analysis by sub basin specific for flooding flood modelling
using 100 years hydro-meteorological data and re-packaging of the master plan among others
9 12
ldquo The heroic act of PNP personnel and the DENR
personnel at the forefront of the anti-illegal log-
ging campaign is laudable and exceptional for
the DENR top management recognized their
sacrfices and contributions in the campaign rdquo he
said
ldquo Incidents of Illegal logging in Caraga
region are steadily going down owing to the inten-
sive police and military campaign which prompt
timber poacher and smugglers to pause and think
twice with their illegal activities rdquo Director
Tamayo said
During the occasion the DENR gave
certificates of recognition and P 100000 cash
incentive each to PO2 Arwin F Dela Cruz PO1
Sherwin Clyde M Castrodes PO1 Alejandro M
Intas of the 1st Company Regional Police Securi-
ty Batallion They were with the team of DENR
personnel trying to retrieve several pieces of ille-
gal logs in Barobo Surigao del Sur recently when
DENR seeks police assistance in monitoring of
closed vans with illegal forest products
KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN
The Police and the Philippine Army have been asked to tighten its monitoring
on the closed vans and trucks that are traversing the major highways to Davao fol-
lowing reports that they are carrying lumber products of banned species
ldquo Wersquove been informed that timber poachers are processing illegally-cut logs
of banned species a into small pieces materials from a secluded area which are then
placed on closed vans before they are transported to a plywood processing plants in
Davao City Cebu and Manila for plywood materialsrdquo Regional Director Nonito M
Tamayo said
At present all the wood processing plants in cities of Butuan and Cagayan de
Oro are using falcata gubas or acacia mangium species for their plywood production
because of the prevailing ban on cutting of hardwoods by virtue of Executive Order
No 23
Reports said however that some plywood plant operators in some areas of Mindanao are buying these illegal products from
unscrupulous poachers ldquoWe are finding difficulty in monitoring the movement of these undocumented forest products after they are
put on sealed vans ldquo Tamayo said
FROM PAGE 6 hellip DENR Commends PNP-13
DENR conducts survey of political boundaries in Surigao City Dapa and Sta Monica in Surgao del Norte
Butuan City ndash A worker a mining area in Tubay Agusan del Norte rescued a juvenile Frigate bird in March 2014 and
turn it over to the DENR authorities ldquo The bird appeared to be exhausted and trying to regain its strength from
a long flight ldquo Roed Nakila a mining worker said
ldquo We thought it was dead but when we got near the bird is struggling so we took it to our shelter ldquo he said
ldquoItrsquos was the first time I saw that kind of bird ldquo Nakila said adding he was tempted on keeping it as pet
The juvenile frigate bird measures 94 centimeters with a wingspan of 198 centimeters It weighs about 500
grams The Frigate birds are a family of seabirds also known as frigate pelicans It can be found breeding along the
Pacific coast of Costa Rica particularly at the Corcovado National Park An adult Frigate birds measures 1 meter long
with a 215 meter wingspan The males have a red pouch that is inflated during the breeding season to attract a mate
Females are black but have a white breast and lower neck sides a brown band on the wings and a blue eye ring
They lack the ability to take off from water so they snatch prey from the ocean surface or beach using their long hooked bills Frigate birds are
seasonally monogamous which means they only mate with one female per season
Frigate birds are not classified as an endangered species but populations appear to be declining mainly due to human destruction of habitat for housing
and resorts and disturbance in colonies Introducing predators on islands and over-fishing are also potential problems They spend days and nights on the air with
an average ground speed of 10 kmhour covering 223 km before landing
DENR -13 Protected Area and Wildlife has declared the juvenile Frigate to be in good condition after it was examined at the Regional Animal Disease
Diagnostic Lab at Barangay Taguibo Butuan City ( EFG)
Mining worker saves a juvenile Frigate bird
January to June 2014 January to June 2014
The employees of the DENR Region 13 have successfully con-
cluded the Environment Month Celebration on Monday with the
call of readiness in the face of the Global Climate Change amid
funs and games and talent competition held at the DENR 13 Cov-
ered Court in Barangay Ambago Butuan City on June 30 2014
28 individuals including seven companies and local gov-
ernment units were given Certificates of Recognition as ldquo Envi-
ronmental Heroesrdquo for their untainted support to the programs of
the DENR in particular the Anti- Illegal Logging Campaign and
the National Greening Program (NGP)
ldquo I wish to thank all those individuals companies local government units the Philippine National Police and the Philippine
Army under the 4th Infantry Division who help in pursuing the goals and programs of the DENR with the objective of uplifting the living condition of the people in
the uplands and remote mountain villagesrsquo Regional Director Nonito M Tamayo said in his remarks at the culmination program
Amidst the celebration however Director Tamayo reminded the people to take extra careful of the danger pose by the rising sea level owing to intense ef-
fect of Global Warming that also triggers Global Climate Change
Although it was not his intention to spoil the party Director Tamayo nevertheless reminded the audience about the recent disaster in provinces of Leyte Sa-
mar and other provinces in the Eastern Visayas hit by Typhoon Yolanda in November 8 last year which claimed hundreds of human lives and destroyed billion of
pesos worth of infrastructure agriculture schools buildings and houses could happen again in the days ahead ldquo This is the new normal disaster where you can see
storm surges caused by strong typhoonsrdquo Tamayo said
ldquo It would be best for all of us particularly those people living along the coastal areas to be ready and prepared all the time since our guarantee of our safety is
uncertain in the face of the climate changerdquo he said
January to June 2014 January to June 2014 KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN 10 11
ldquo When you see a standing tree ponder on the crucial role it plays in carbon dioxide sequestrationrdquo by
DENR 13 Regional Director Nonito M Tamayo said on the opening salvo of the Environment Month celebration
ldquo Trees provide a very important role in carbon dioxide sequestration the so -called major factor in the
global warming of the earth ldquo he said as the DENR employees prepares to hold a motorcade on Thursday June 5
from Butuan City to Calac-an Magallanes Agusan del Norte to drumbeat the World Environment Day with the
theme ldquo Raise your voice not the sea levelrdquo The partici-
pants in motorcade have planted mangrove at the
shorelines of Magallanes on that day
Director Tamayo said folk in the hinterlands often
see the trees as source of livelihood when they cut and sell
them to the wood processing plants for money to survive ldquo
But little did they know that the trees play a crucial
role in removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere
through the natural process of photosynthesis and store the
carbon in their leaves branches stems barks and rootsrdquo
Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a natural greenhouse gas
in the atmosphere partly responsible for the earthrsquos
relatively stable climate It is a lsquogreenhousersquo gas because it
traps heat near the earth surface contributing to [observed
and predicted] global warming
He said human activities especially the burning of
fossil fuels such as coals and oil and destruction of natural
forest are greatly increasing the level of Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere Based on scientist findings the
level of CO2 in the atmosphere has increased last century from 284 parts per million in 1832 to about 387
parts per million in 2009 Other gases that have much greater warming impact than carbon dioxide are
methane and nitrous oxide
Tamayo said the DENR has been issuing various warnings in the past that the Philippines is likely to
experience more extreme weather patterns with higher average temperatures possibly long heatwaves and
minimal rainfall if the Greenhouse Effect proceeds as predicted
He said the trees have good uses in arresting Carbon dioxide emissions and therefore the people
should be encouraged to increase the area of forest and tree plantations ldquo Natural and planted forest act as
sink for absorbing CO2 from the atmosphererdquo Director Tamayo said
Director Tamayo said the people should support the National Greening Program (NGP) being implemented through the DENR The program seeks to plant
15 billion seedlings in 15 million hectares of timberlands nationwide from 2011 to 2016
He cited an Australian Greenhouse Office report that ldquo trees in forest ( including plantations) if well-stocked typically sequester carbon at a maximum
rate between about age 10 and age 20-30 As an indication the report says that at age 30 years about 200 to 520 tonnes Carbon dioxide equivalent are sequestered
per hectare in the forestrdquo
ldquo After this age if the trees are not harvested the report says ldquo the sequestration rate slows gradually until maturity of about 80 to 100 years of age and
flattens out from then on as growth is balanced by decayrdquo
Director Tamayo said the people therefore is encouraged to support the reforestation program of the government through the NGP
He said that based on scientific findings ldquo reforesting cleared areas will create carbon sinks to counteract greenhouse gas emissions and will assist in other aspects of
environmental improvement such as salinity control and creation of wildlife habitatrdquo
Bitaog The Philippine Centennial Tree
ldquo When you see a standing tree think about its crucial role rdquo The 2014 Environment Month celebration
Laro ng Lahi RPAO Chief Eric Gallego The contestant
PENRO Obet Oliveros CENRO Luis Gonzaga
Atty Jun Nistal Chief Legal PENROs Zaldy Perater and Rosendo Asunto
Butuan City ndash Barely two years after Executive Order No 23 was implemented illegal logging and
timber poaching activities have slowed down in the Region particularly in Agusan del Sur which is
noted as ldquohot spot areardquo
DENR-13 Regional Executive Director Nonito M Tamayo made the report during the recent 1st Man-
agement Conference (ManCon ) held at the DENR Regional Office on February 05 2014 after analyz-
ing the reports submitted by the five PENR officers of Agusan del Nore Agusan del Sur Surigao del
Norte Surigao del Sur and Dinagat province
ldquo A significant decline in illegal loggging activities has been noted from 2011 to 2013 report
owing to intensified campaign made be the DENR in coordination with the Philippine National Police
and the Philippine Army rdquo RED Tamayo said
In Agusan del Sur where illegal logging activities has been a problem for several years PEN-
RO Roberto Oliveros reported that apprehension of illegal logs and lumber made in 2013 was
264741 cubic meters of logs and 6616676 board feet of lumber He said the the report noted a reduction
of apprehensions compared in 2012 with a record 364061 cubic meters logs and 29222363 board feet
lumber ldquo
According to PENRO Oliveros the all-out campaign on anti-illegal logging campaign in 2012
made significant factor in slowing down the illegal logging activities after the operations shifted to high gear
following the implementation of Executive Order 23 issued by President Benigno S Aquino III in February
1 2011 EO 23 is the declaration of moratorium on the cutting and harvesting of timber in the natural and
residual forests and creating the anti-illegal logging task force
Director Tamayo said he has high expectations
CRITICAL HABITAT FOR MARINE TURTLE ---DENR-13
Regional Director Nonito M Tamayo ( left ) and Mayor Ramon Calo of
Carmen Agusan del Norte shake hands after signing a Memorandum of
Agreement for the development propagation and plantation of mangrove
seedlings and beach forest along the shorelines of Carmen Agusan del
Norte ( Photo by RPAO Cristine Selanova)
The two new eaglets discovered in the mountains of the
Zamboanga peninsula in December last year have kept the hopes of the
Filipino people alive in saving the Philippine Eagle (Pithecophaga jefferyi)
from extinction
DENR 13 Regional Director made this encouraging remarks
over the radio at the start of the 10th celebration of the Philippine Eagle Week
last June 4-10 He encouraged the people to take part in the observance
of the Philippine Eagle Week ldquo The people particularly those living in the
hinterlands must understand the importance of protecting of the Philippine
Eagle which also known as
ldquo Haring Ibonrdquo or ldquo Agila
rdquo in local dialect
The celebration this year
according to Secretary Paje
is considered ldquoextra
special ldquo because two new
additions to the
eaglersquos population were
recorded in December last
yearrdquo ldquo This discovery
provides a glimmer of
hope for the national birdrdquo
Secretary Paje said referring to the report of the birth of two new eagles in
Linay Zamboanga del Norte and Midsalip Zamboanga del Sur
ldquoIn the midst of the government efforts to restore our dwindling
forests the presence of these birds boosts our hope of achieving a thriving
forest ecosystem and a constant reminder that wildlife can co-exist
harmoniously with humans Paje said The DENR in cooperation with the
Haribon and the LGU of Gabaldon is intensifying their efforts to protect
Mt Mingan from human activities to preserve the population of the eagle
In Caraga Region Director Tamayo said there were sightings of
Philippine Eagles hovering the vast forest areas of Mt Hilong-Hilong in the
eastern section of Agusan del Norte and the former timber land area of the
defunct Surigao Development Corp (SUDECOR ) in Surigao del Sur and in
the erstwhile timber concession area of PICOP in Bislig City
Acclaimed as one of the treasures of the Philippine wild the
national bird is the largest eagle in the world With its height of one meter and
a wing span of two meters the Philippine eagle reigns supreme in the tropical
forest as a top predator A pair of this majestic bird occupies 7000 to 13000
hectares of forest territory
Butuan City ndashThe Department of Environment and Natural Resources Region 13
and the Municipal Government of Carmen Agusan del Norte have entered into
an Agreement to establish a monitoring station for the 575620 hectares-
coastal areas in five barangays declared by the DENR as Critical Habitat for
Marine Turtles
This means that human activities at the shore lines of Barangays Vina-
por Gosoon San Agustin Cahayagan and Tagcatong in Carmen Agusan del
Norte shall be regulated to protect the the marine turtles which make the beach
as their nesting ground
DENR-13 Regional Executive Director Nonito M Tamayo and Mayor
Ramon Calo signed the MOA at a simple ceremony held at a beach in
Barangay Tagcatong in Carmen Agusan del Norte on March 252014 Witness-
ing the ceremony are the OIC CENR Officer of Nasipit Norman A Asugan
PENR Officer Paterno B Olivera the Barangay Captain of Tagcatong Eva D
Palarca and the Richard Palang-at of Vinapor Carmen
The DENR also donated 14223 cubic meters of mixed Dipterocarp
flitches and miscellaneous species to the municipal government of Carmen for the
construction of monitoring station
The LGU in Carmen under the agreement shall provide funds for the
construction It will also provide an area for the station and personnel who will
man the monitoring station Mayor Calo assured Director Tamayo that he
will personally supervise the protection management and development of
the marine turtle sanctuary
Aside from the wood materials the DENR has also provided the con-
struction of billboards that will properly guide the public including the conduct
of regular monitoring and evaluation to ensure proper conservation management
and development of the critical habitat
The five barangays in Carmen was declared by the DENR as Critical
Habitat for Marine Turtles by virtue of Department Special Order 2012-08 on
October 8 2013 signed by DENR Secretary Ramon JP Paje
KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN 16 5
January to June 2014 KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN January to June 2014
DENR ties up with LGU Carmen
in monitoring sea turtles Two new eaglets keep hopes
of the Filipino people alive
Eagle Week celebration
Illegal logging activities slowed down in Caraga
BUTUAN CITY mdashDENR-13 OIC Regional Director Nonito M Tamayo has
commended on Monday ( March 10 2014 ) the leadership of the Philippine
National Police Regional Office 13 headed by Police Chief Superintendent Domina-
dor Eslava Aquino Jr for continued support in the anti-illegal logging campaign
that resulted in slowing down the illegal logging incidents in the region by 60 percent
Director Tamayo expressed the compliment during a Flag Raising ceremony
of the PNP at the Philippine National Police Regional Command at Camp Rodriguez
in Butuan City where he was invited as Guest Speaker
He said that since the Police and the Philippine Army took the lead in the
campaign two years after President Aquino declared a total log ban in the natural and
residual forest a significant drop in incidence of illegal logging and timber poaching
in Caraga region has been noted by the DENR
From a record apprehension of 495560111 board feet lumber made in
2010 a dramatic decline in apprehensions has been noted in 2013 to 261718942
board feet lumber It declined further in the first two months of 2014 to 30158139
board feet of lumber ldquo This is a good indication that the all-out anti-illegal logging
drive with he PNP and the military at the forefront is successful ldquo Tamayo said
In the last four years of campaign at least six personnel were killed The
latest incident was Jaime Cosmiano Diez a tree marker who was killed in front of his
wife and children inside his house in Bayugan Agusan del Sur on February 23 2012
6 15
DENR 13 forest officers in coordination with the Philippine National Police and the Philippine Army have appre-
hended about 1439 pieces or 11382 cubic meters of fresh- illegally cut logs from eight different mini sawmills
during two days anti-illegal logging operations at the remote Barangay Baylo in San Luis Agusan del Sur raising
speculations that some local officials maybe behind the illegal trading operations
ldquo Actually several raids have been made by the CENRO personnel in previous months but the illegal
sawmilling operations resurface weeks after the DENR operatives are gone ldquo OIC CENR Officer of Talacogon
Luis Guevarra said ldquo It is like hide and seek game but we can hardly operate in the area as often without police
backups considering the place is known as hub of timber poachers and armed supporters ldquo he added Barangay
Baylo is about 15 kilometers away from the nearest Philippine Army Detachment under Lt Col Rolando Dumawa
The latest raid was backed up by three platoons of regular army soldiers from the 26th Army Infantry
Batallion 4th Infantry Division and one unit from the Special Action Police Force (SAF) although the authorities
were dismayed over the sight of empty saw mill equipment and gadgets such as engines and saw-blades when
they barged into the identified mill plants as if the operators have fore knowledge of the raid
Itrsquos very disappointing ldquo PENR Officer of Agusan del Sur Roberto Oliveros said He said the area has been
on surveillance since an informant tip off the DENR of the clandestine mini saw mill operations of logs harvested by
timber poachers from a nearby defunct timberland of the PTFI Timber License Agreement holder ldquo
ldquo These illegally-cut timber arereportedlu moved through river tributaries to its destination in the
sawmilling plants built along the riverbanks It took the DENR about 48 hours with interval to extract the logs at the
different sawmills plants which included 243 pieces ( 2809 cubic meters at Purok 4 996 pieces ( 8599 cubic me-
ters) at Purok 3 at Sitio Don Alejandro all in Barangay Baylo San Luis Agusan del Sur and 200 pieces ( 1974 cubic
meters ) from the Barangay Proper of Baylo Oliveros said he was verifying reports that one of the illegal sawmill
plants is operated by a barangay official of Barangay Baylo The raid has also missed to catch the hauling of lumber
in eight Saddam-type 6-wheeler trucks which went at an undisclosed place in the nearby town of Bayugan the night
before
DENR 13 Regional Director Nonito M Tamayo said some people in that barangay are reportedly codling
with timber poachers and the operations of illegal sawmill plants have been tolerated in the area
Director Tamayo instructed PENRO Oliveros to intensify monitor of illegal logging activities in the area
and the activities of timber poachers in the former TLA holders area of operations in San Luis He said the DENR-13
personnel are expected to join forces with the DENR-11 in strengthening the monitoring of illegal logs trav-
ersing the stretch of the Maharlika Highway from Agusan del Sur Compostela Valley and Davao City
DENR 13 apprehends 1439 illegal logs
in San Luis Agusan del Sur The restriction of transport of all types of logs through the Agusan
River and its tributaries which took effect on February 102014 remain
enforced until the DENR Office of the Secretary ( OSEC) issues another
order to lift up the suspension
DENR-13 Regional Director Nonito M Tamayo said he has
submitted a detailed report of the logging trade utilizing Agusan River as
one of the ways in transporting forest products by the tree farmers and the
land owners and is being reviewed by a technical group under the Of-
fice of Undersecretary for Field Operations Demetrio L IgnacioJr
ldquo We have considered everything and consulted several sectors
of the industry environmentalists and local officials that made us to
propose that the movement of logs should be done only during daytime rdquo
RD Tamayo said ldquo Let us hope the top management would consider it rdquo he added
Since the supension took effect six month ago the DENR has stopped issuing permits for all types of logs using Agusan river and
its tributaries as waterways to move the forest products to the various wood processing plants along riverbanks in Butuan City and in other parts in Agusan
del Sur
Undersecretary Ignacio Jr has issued the log movement restriction order on Agusan river on a memorandum sent to RD Tamayo The memo
also cited wanton disregard of regulations imposed under Executive 23 by some people as one of the reasons for the restriction of log movement on
Agusan river The memo also cited that ldquorafting and towing of logs on Agusan river have contributed to the inundation and scouring of the river banks
made worst during heavy rains that has significantly contributed to the siltation of the riverrdquo ( EFG)
Log restriction movement along
Agusan River remains enforced
Agusan River
DENR-13 Regional Executive Director Nonito M Tamayo assisted by
Police Chief Supt Dominador E Aquino JrActing Regional Director of
PNP-13 and PSSUPT Joseph D Plaza Batallion Commander of 13th
RPSB pins award of medal to the three policemen namely PO2 Arin F
Dela Cruz PO1 Sherwin Clyde M Castrodes PO1 Alejandrino M Intas
of the 1st Company 13th Regional Special Police Service Batallion
DENR commends PNP -13
TO PAGE 12
KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN January to June 2014 KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN January to June 2014
BISLIG CITY mdash The construction of a ldquostate-of-the artrdquo nursery house for tree seedlings
in Bislig Surigao del Sur the first of its kind in Caraga Region being supervised by the
Ecosystem Research and Development of the DENR is expected to be completed
before the end of this year It can produce 12 million tree seedlings every year
This Mechanization and Modernization of Forest Nursery is the pet project of
DENR Secretary Ramon JP Paje in his objective to produce large volume of high-quality
planting materials through a more efficient and cost-effective methods of propagation in
support of the seedlings needs of the National Greening Program
Secretary Paje said the NGP targets to plant about 1 billion tree seedlings of dif-
ferent species planted over 15 million hectares in various areas all over the country by 2016
DENR OIC Regional Director Nonito M Tamayo has instructed his five PENROs
and 13 CENROs to plant tree seedlings that are adaptable to soil conditions in a given area
including the mangrove and beach forest on the shorelines
The mechanized nursery project was initiated by RD Tamayo and RTD Ronilo Sa-
lac of ERDS and the Bio-diversity Management Regional Office From the concept they
did everything to prove that this region deserves one allocation of the the four project sites
in the country Such modern and mechanized seedling nursery costs about P 353 million
The other areas are found in Luzon and the Visayas
Work activities of the modern nursery at the area of the ERDS in Bislig Surigao
del Sur began in January this year through the four winning bidders all of them are based in
Butuan City doing separate project components This
included the Hardening Area a 15000 sqmeter- lot
which will ensure the gradual exposure of the seedlings
into full sunlight for the sturdy and quality planting ma-
terials before they are planted into selected planting
sites It has a section called the Growing area which is
a 10000- sqmeter lot that functions as development of
geminants into seedlings At the other side is the the
Seeder Building which processes the sowing of seeds
into the styro-blocks propagation container with custom-
ized seed pads and treated through a misting area for
watering before they are placed into the greenhouse
There are two Greenhouse buildings being built at a 350 sqmeter lot in that area These build-
ings are equipped with misting devices and other facilities that helps in the germination process
of the germinants
RED Tamayo gave his assurance that the mechanized nursery will produce at least 12
million good quality seedlings yearly assuming they will come from the Seed Production area
and Individual Plus Trees ( IPTs) and have been processed at the Mindanao Tree Seed Center
He said the nursery may also provide fruit crops vegetables and cut flowers so that
the tree farmers can earn their livelihood while waiting for the tree crops to yield fruits and
harvested He expressed optimism that the project will succeed according to plans and pro-
grams laid out by the DENR technical people so that the country can enjoy a good and healthy
environment in the midst of a global climate change ( RPAO 13 Eric Gallego )
P 35-m mechanize seedling center
rises up in Bislig City
By Eric F Gallego
7 14
The City Government of Butuan City have officially proclaimed its consent to
share its 15204 -sqmeter (15 hectares) real estate property to the
Department of Environment and Natural Resources which is been utilized
by the DENR-13 Ecosystem Research and Development for the Macrosomat-
ic Clonal Propagation Complex at Sitio Buod Barangay Pinamangculan in
Butuan City since 2001
The move was made during the formal signing of the Memorandum of Agree-
ment between DENR-13 Regional Director Nonito M Tamayo and City
Mayor M Amante Jr in a simple ceremony held at the DENR clonal propa-
gation complex in that barangay on May 152014 Also present to witness the
event were Virgilio G Nery Chairman of the SP Committee on Environment
and Natural Resources City Administrator Leah A Mendoza Regional
Technical Director of DENR Research Ronill L Salac and the OIC CENR
Officer of Nasipit Norman Asungan
The city government had agreed that it shall recognize the existence of the
DENR Caraga Macrosomatic Clonal Nursery and support the DENR through providing assistance
in infrastructure and road buildings
The DENR on the other hand shall maintain the clonal nursery complex as well as
produce quality planting stocks of indigenous forest trees and other equally important species for
environment protection and rehabilitation It shall also support the city government in the
promotion of environment and natural resources development programs through provision of
technical assistance and high-quality planting materials
Director Tamayo said the complex will also serve as learning laboratory for students
and environmental science researchers He thanked the city government for sharing
responsibilities and resources with the DENR for effective implementation of environmental
activities in the city in support of Climate Change mitigation and adaptation program
Mayor Amante said the city government has envisioned to transform Butuan City
as Center of Forest in the country by 2020 Corollary to this vision of 1 million trees by 2020
the city government has started initiating tree planting activities in different areas ldquo
We are looking ahead that Butuan City will become a show window for sustainable forest-based
economy while Butuan enjoy a high-per capita incomerdquo
The City Mayor and RD Tamayor afterward proceeded to the planting site where they
planted seedling of Bagoadlau species ( Xanthostemon philippinesis ) The mayor also toured the
complex and expressed appreciation of the process of clonal procedure in seedling production
The clonal nursery was established in 2001 under the initiative of the late
Representative of the 1st District of Agusan del Norte Leovigildo Banaag (EFG)
Mayor Amante shares 15 hectare govrsquot land to the DENR
KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN January to June 2014 KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN January to June 2014
In a remote village of Lucac in San Francisco Agusan del Sur the farm-
ers who belong to the Lucac Pilot Community Forest Beneficiaries
Association ( LUPICOMFOBA) are patiently waiting for the proper time
of harvest from the tree crops and falcata trees they have planted under the
National Greening Program ( NGP ) The farmers expect to earn a hefty
income from the crops and tree plantation which are enough to send their
children to school and perhaps pursue their dreams of finishing a college degree
from fine schools in Davao City or Butuan City
The NGP has found a way in that upland community of indigenous
people to find relief who for years have been trapped in the cycle of poverty
In fact most of the 40 member farmers of that association have been in one
way engaged in illegal logging activities to make both ends meet
ldquo At that time we were focused only on the survival otherwise
we will die in starvationrdquo Mario Crecensio said in an interview during the visit
of DENR OIC Regional Director Nonito M Tamayo with PENRO Roberto Oli-
veros and other DENR field personnel
ldquo I was impressed by the achievement made by this association since
their members have enrolled in the NGPrdquo Director Tamayo said
Since the LUPICOMFIRBA was organized in 2011 many things in
the lives of the farmers have changed Most of them according to Cresencio
have shunned timber poaching and focused themselves on farming
ldquo Wersquove got plenty of banana plantation here beside the other cropsrdquo Cres-
encio said The association is earning an average income of P 10000 every week
from the sale of bananas of ldquo lakatan ldquo variety
The members have cultivated part of the 1 000 hectares timberland that
the DENR had awarded to them for rehabilitation under the Community-Based
Forest Management Agreement ( CBFMA) in the year 2000
Crecencio said the members have developed about 292 hectares of
this awarded land and planted it with rubber trees ipil-ipil and kakawate trees for
fuel wood production Afterwards he said ldquo we expanded and planted the idle 40
hectare land with fast growing falcata trees ldquo The farmers then introduced the
ldquointercroppingrdquo farm technique to double their production
ldquo We never
thought twice when we learned of the NGP We availed of the program when a DENR extension
worker came to our village one day to promote the programrdquo he said
Crecensio has revisited his idle farm owned by his parents and planted the 20-hectare agricul-
tural land with falcata seedlings He expects to earn at least P 10 million from the harvest of falcata
three years from now
ldquo I guess we are now contented with this kind of living as compared in the past ldquo he said
Director Tamayo said ldquo the main essence of the NGP is to relieve the farmers from poverty
We are seeing this principle in this place ldquo
PENRO Oliveros said that the people used to look at the forest as a source of livelihood
hence illegal logging was considered as alternative to earn incomerdquo
But the NGP has totally changed that attitude ldquo The people in that village have learned to
adopt the concept of the NGP since every farmer who has a piece of land would now want to plant tree
seedlings blend with cash cropsrdquo PENRO Oliveros said ( RPAO 13 )
8 13
NGP licks poverty in Agusan del Sur By Eric Galleo and Christine Selanova
Butuan City-- Barring any complication in about four years from now the members of the of the Aclan River Farmers Cooperative
( ARFAMCO ) in Barangay Aclan Nasipit Agusan del Norte shall be richer by more than P30 million which is the fruits of their labor
under the National Greening Program ( NGP)
But looking back on those years that the mem-
bers have gone through are pictures of gloomy experi-
ences that most of them would always remember the
saga in life that they went through to survive Most
them were dependent from the Nasipit Lumber
Company ( NALCO) and enjoying comforts in life at the
peak of its operation in the 70rsquos But when the
company had ceased its operation due to bankruptcy
they became broke and resorted to illegal logging by
relentlessly cutting trees in plantation areas
maintained by the company It was a season when
poachers have their hey days raking tremendous earn-
ings from illegal activities
The time came when the DENR restricted the
laws on PD 705 and intensified its anti-illegal logging
campaign The idled ndash former workers of NALCO could no longer trade those undocu-
mented logs in the open market as easy as before Hence they resorted to farming
through slash and burn beside illegal logging
There was never a time when the forest plantation maintained by the defunct
NALCO was seriously threatened with wanton destruction than the farmers arming
themselves with axes and sharp boloes to cut the trees for income and burn the soil so
they can plant agricultural crops ldquo Hunger stalked upon us and we need to survive from starvationrdquo Norlito T Saylon President of
the ARFAMCO said ldquo We gained at first attempt but ended up in a situation much worst than the previous years owing to unproductive landsrdquo
Saylon said ldquo We became more poorer desperate and often wanting in needs but we can not do otherwise except resort to illegal cutting to
surviverdquo he added
He said his peers were relieved when they heard of the National Greening Program ( NGP) of President Benigno S Aquino ldquo We were
happy after an extension worker from the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office ( CENRO) in Nasipit Agusan del Norte came
to our community in 2011 and offered us the chance to participate in the NGP program rdquo Saylon said
He said that they have realize then that the NGP program is good because it addresses the specific needs of their group He said there
were several livelihood opportunities available in the past years that were offered by several government agencies but the NGP is better rdquo
Saylon said To Page 18
Poor farmers get richer by P 30 million
from NGP in Aclan Nasipit Agusan del Norte
By Eric Herzon F Gallego
NORLITO T SAYLON
KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN January to June 2014 KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN January to June 2014
The DENR through the Land Management Services has acquired the services of CM ESPARRAGO SURVEYING SERVICES for the cadastral survey project of two municipalities in Surigao del Norte and Surigao City for a contract price of P 5737776 The amount will be spent in the survey of the political boundaries of Surigao City and the municipalities of Sta Monica and Dapa in Surigao del Norte DENR 13 Regional Executive Director Nonito M Tamayo has formalized the deal through the Contract of Agreement ( CoA) he signed with Engr Cristopher M Esparrago in a simple ceremony held the REDrsquos office on February 062014 The signing was also witnessed by the Regional Technical Director for Land Management Services ( LMS) Atty Paquito R Rosal and the Regional Cadastral Survey Projects Coordinator at the DENR-LMS Engr Bernard A Daitol Dapa Surigao del Norte has 140 political boundaries and 47 points along rivers and shorelines Sta Monica Surigao del Norte has 55 estimated political boundaries and 18 points along rivers and shore-lines Surigao City on the other hand has 154 political boundaries and 17 points along rivers and shoreline Under the contract the CM Esparrago Surveying Services shall complete and execute the cadastral survey of political boundaries of the said municipalities and Surigao City in at least one year time
A cadastral survey[1]
or cadastral map is a comprehensive register of the real estate or real propertys metes-and-bounds of a country It commonly includes details of the ownership the tenure the precise location (some include GPS coordinates) the dimensions (and area) the cultivations if rural and the value of individual parcels of land Cadastres are used by many nations around the world
[1] some in con-
junction with other records such as a title register
In most countries legal systems have developed around the original administrative systems and use the cadastre to define the di-mensions and location of land parcels described in legal documentation The cadastre is a fundamental source of data in disputes and lawsuits between landowners
DENR finalizes Master Plan for Agusan River
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources Region 13 Office has hired the
services of the Lichel Technologies Inc for P4950 million to finalize the Master Plan
of the Agusan River Basin (ARB) program
DENR-13 Regional Executive Director Nonito M Tamayo signed the Contract
of Agreement with the Managing Director of the Lichel Technologies Inc Rachel A Vasquez
in a simple ceremony held at the DENR Regional Conference Room in Barangay Ambago Butuan
City on Tuesday (March 18 2014 )
The scope of works as defined in the agreement involve preparations of work and
financial plan an outline of the updated enhanced Agusan River Basin Master Plan generation
of primary data undertake surveys interviews and fieldworks integrate commends and recommen-
dations generated from series of consultations and workshop with provinces cities regional tech-
nical working groups regional development councils indigenous cultural and tribal communities
conduct analysis on the conflicting tenurial claims and mining tenements employ GIS and remote
sensing technology in the analysis of the basinrsquos condition identification of development interven-
tions Bio-physical assessment by sub-basin disaster risk assessment and climate change
vulnerability assessment land use analysis by sub basin specific for flooding flood modelling
using 100 years hydro-meteorological data and re-packaging of the master plan among others
9 12
ldquo The heroic act of PNP personnel and the DENR
personnel at the forefront of the anti-illegal log-
ging campaign is laudable and exceptional for
the DENR top management recognized their
sacrfices and contributions in the campaign rdquo he
said
ldquo Incidents of Illegal logging in Caraga
region are steadily going down owing to the inten-
sive police and military campaign which prompt
timber poacher and smugglers to pause and think
twice with their illegal activities rdquo Director
Tamayo said
During the occasion the DENR gave
certificates of recognition and P 100000 cash
incentive each to PO2 Arwin F Dela Cruz PO1
Sherwin Clyde M Castrodes PO1 Alejandro M
Intas of the 1st Company Regional Police Securi-
ty Batallion They were with the team of DENR
personnel trying to retrieve several pieces of ille-
gal logs in Barobo Surigao del Sur recently when
DENR seeks police assistance in monitoring of
closed vans with illegal forest products
KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN
The Police and the Philippine Army have been asked to tighten its monitoring
on the closed vans and trucks that are traversing the major highways to Davao fol-
lowing reports that they are carrying lumber products of banned species
ldquo Wersquove been informed that timber poachers are processing illegally-cut logs
of banned species a into small pieces materials from a secluded area which are then
placed on closed vans before they are transported to a plywood processing plants in
Davao City Cebu and Manila for plywood materialsrdquo Regional Director Nonito M
Tamayo said
At present all the wood processing plants in cities of Butuan and Cagayan de
Oro are using falcata gubas or acacia mangium species for their plywood production
because of the prevailing ban on cutting of hardwoods by virtue of Executive Order
No 23
Reports said however that some plywood plant operators in some areas of Mindanao are buying these illegal products from
unscrupulous poachers ldquoWe are finding difficulty in monitoring the movement of these undocumented forest products after they are
put on sealed vans ldquo Tamayo said
FROM PAGE 6 hellip DENR Commends PNP-13
DENR conducts survey of political boundaries in Surigao City Dapa and Sta Monica in Surgao del Norte
Butuan City ndash A worker a mining area in Tubay Agusan del Norte rescued a juvenile Frigate bird in March 2014 and
turn it over to the DENR authorities ldquo The bird appeared to be exhausted and trying to regain its strength from
a long flight ldquo Roed Nakila a mining worker said
ldquo We thought it was dead but when we got near the bird is struggling so we took it to our shelter ldquo he said
ldquoItrsquos was the first time I saw that kind of bird ldquo Nakila said adding he was tempted on keeping it as pet
The juvenile frigate bird measures 94 centimeters with a wingspan of 198 centimeters It weighs about 500
grams The Frigate birds are a family of seabirds also known as frigate pelicans It can be found breeding along the
Pacific coast of Costa Rica particularly at the Corcovado National Park An adult Frigate birds measures 1 meter long
with a 215 meter wingspan The males have a red pouch that is inflated during the breeding season to attract a mate
Females are black but have a white breast and lower neck sides a brown band on the wings and a blue eye ring
They lack the ability to take off from water so they snatch prey from the ocean surface or beach using their long hooked bills Frigate birds are
seasonally monogamous which means they only mate with one female per season
Frigate birds are not classified as an endangered species but populations appear to be declining mainly due to human destruction of habitat for housing
and resorts and disturbance in colonies Introducing predators on islands and over-fishing are also potential problems They spend days and nights on the air with
an average ground speed of 10 kmhour covering 223 km before landing
DENR -13 Protected Area and Wildlife has declared the juvenile Frigate to be in good condition after it was examined at the Regional Animal Disease
Diagnostic Lab at Barangay Taguibo Butuan City ( EFG)
Mining worker saves a juvenile Frigate bird
January to June 2014 January to June 2014
The employees of the DENR Region 13 have successfully con-
cluded the Environment Month Celebration on Monday with the
call of readiness in the face of the Global Climate Change amid
funs and games and talent competition held at the DENR 13 Cov-
ered Court in Barangay Ambago Butuan City on June 30 2014
28 individuals including seven companies and local gov-
ernment units were given Certificates of Recognition as ldquo Envi-
ronmental Heroesrdquo for their untainted support to the programs of
the DENR in particular the Anti- Illegal Logging Campaign and
the National Greening Program (NGP)
ldquo I wish to thank all those individuals companies local government units the Philippine National Police and the Philippine
Army under the 4th Infantry Division who help in pursuing the goals and programs of the DENR with the objective of uplifting the living condition of the people in
the uplands and remote mountain villagesrsquo Regional Director Nonito M Tamayo said in his remarks at the culmination program
Amidst the celebration however Director Tamayo reminded the people to take extra careful of the danger pose by the rising sea level owing to intense ef-
fect of Global Warming that also triggers Global Climate Change
Although it was not his intention to spoil the party Director Tamayo nevertheless reminded the audience about the recent disaster in provinces of Leyte Sa-
mar and other provinces in the Eastern Visayas hit by Typhoon Yolanda in November 8 last year which claimed hundreds of human lives and destroyed billion of
pesos worth of infrastructure agriculture schools buildings and houses could happen again in the days ahead ldquo This is the new normal disaster where you can see
storm surges caused by strong typhoonsrdquo Tamayo said
ldquo It would be best for all of us particularly those people living along the coastal areas to be ready and prepared all the time since our guarantee of our safety is
uncertain in the face of the climate changerdquo he said
January to June 2014 January to June 2014 KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN 10 11
ldquo When you see a standing tree ponder on the crucial role it plays in carbon dioxide sequestrationrdquo by
DENR 13 Regional Director Nonito M Tamayo said on the opening salvo of the Environment Month celebration
ldquo Trees provide a very important role in carbon dioxide sequestration the so -called major factor in the
global warming of the earth ldquo he said as the DENR employees prepares to hold a motorcade on Thursday June 5
from Butuan City to Calac-an Magallanes Agusan del Norte to drumbeat the World Environment Day with the
theme ldquo Raise your voice not the sea levelrdquo The partici-
pants in motorcade have planted mangrove at the
shorelines of Magallanes on that day
Director Tamayo said folk in the hinterlands often
see the trees as source of livelihood when they cut and sell
them to the wood processing plants for money to survive ldquo
But little did they know that the trees play a crucial
role in removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere
through the natural process of photosynthesis and store the
carbon in their leaves branches stems barks and rootsrdquo
Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a natural greenhouse gas
in the atmosphere partly responsible for the earthrsquos
relatively stable climate It is a lsquogreenhousersquo gas because it
traps heat near the earth surface contributing to [observed
and predicted] global warming
He said human activities especially the burning of
fossil fuels such as coals and oil and destruction of natural
forest are greatly increasing the level of Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere Based on scientist findings the
level of CO2 in the atmosphere has increased last century from 284 parts per million in 1832 to about 387
parts per million in 2009 Other gases that have much greater warming impact than carbon dioxide are
methane and nitrous oxide
Tamayo said the DENR has been issuing various warnings in the past that the Philippines is likely to
experience more extreme weather patterns with higher average temperatures possibly long heatwaves and
minimal rainfall if the Greenhouse Effect proceeds as predicted
He said the trees have good uses in arresting Carbon dioxide emissions and therefore the people
should be encouraged to increase the area of forest and tree plantations ldquo Natural and planted forest act as
sink for absorbing CO2 from the atmosphererdquo Director Tamayo said
Director Tamayo said the people should support the National Greening Program (NGP) being implemented through the DENR The program seeks to plant
15 billion seedlings in 15 million hectares of timberlands nationwide from 2011 to 2016
He cited an Australian Greenhouse Office report that ldquo trees in forest ( including plantations) if well-stocked typically sequester carbon at a maximum
rate between about age 10 and age 20-30 As an indication the report says that at age 30 years about 200 to 520 tonnes Carbon dioxide equivalent are sequestered
per hectare in the forestrdquo
ldquo After this age if the trees are not harvested the report says ldquo the sequestration rate slows gradually until maturity of about 80 to 100 years of age and
flattens out from then on as growth is balanced by decayrdquo
Director Tamayo said the people therefore is encouraged to support the reforestation program of the government through the NGP
He said that based on scientific findings ldquo reforesting cleared areas will create carbon sinks to counteract greenhouse gas emissions and will assist in other aspects of
environmental improvement such as salinity control and creation of wildlife habitatrdquo
Bitaog The Philippine Centennial Tree
ldquo When you see a standing tree think about its crucial role rdquo The 2014 Environment Month celebration
Laro ng Lahi RPAO Chief Eric Gallego The contestant
PENRO Obet Oliveros CENRO Luis Gonzaga
Atty Jun Nistal Chief Legal PENROs Zaldy Perater and Rosendo Asunto
BUTUAN CITY mdashDENR-13 OIC Regional Director Nonito M Tamayo has
commended on Monday ( March 10 2014 ) the leadership of the Philippine
National Police Regional Office 13 headed by Police Chief Superintendent Domina-
dor Eslava Aquino Jr for continued support in the anti-illegal logging campaign
that resulted in slowing down the illegal logging incidents in the region by 60 percent
Director Tamayo expressed the compliment during a Flag Raising ceremony
of the PNP at the Philippine National Police Regional Command at Camp Rodriguez
in Butuan City where he was invited as Guest Speaker
He said that since the Police and the Philippine Army took the lead in the
campaign two years after President Aquino declared a total log ban in the natural and
residual forest a significant drop in incidence of illegal logging and timber poaching
in Caraga region has been noted by the DENR
From a record apprehension of 495560111 board feet lumber made in
2010 a dramatic decline in apprehensions has been noted in 2013 to 261718942
board feet lumber It declined further in the first two months of 2014 to 30158139
board feet of lumber ldquo This is a good indication that the all-out anti-illegal logging
drive with he PNP and the military at the forefront is successful ldquo Tamayo said
In the last four years of campaign at least six personnel were killed The
latest incident was Jaime Cosmiano Diez a tree marker who was killed in front of his
wife and children inside his house in Bayugan Agusan del Sur on February 23 2012
6 15
DENR 13 forest officers in coordination with the Philippine National Police and the Philippine Army have appre-
hended about 1439 pieces or 11382 cubic meters of fresh- illegally cut logs from eight different mini sawmills
during two days anti-illegal logging operations at the remote Barangay Baylo in San Luis Agusan del Sur raising
speculations that some local officials maybe behind the illegal trading operations
ldquo Actually several raids have been made by the CENRO personnel in previous months but the illegal
sawmilling operations resurface weeks after the DENR operatives are gone ldquo OIC CENR Officer of Talacogon
Luis Guevarra said ldquo It is like hide and seek game but we can hardly operate in the area as often without police
backups considering the place is known as hub of timber poachers and armed supporters ldquo he added Barangay
Baylo is about 15 kilometers away from the nearest Philippine Army Detachment under Lt Col Rolando Dumawa
The latest raid was backed up by three platoons of regular army soldiers from the 26th Army Infantry
Batallion 4th Infantry Division and one unit from the Special Action Police Force (SAF) although the authorities
were dismayed over the sight of empty saw mill equipment and gadgets such as engines and saw-blades when
they barged into the identified mill plants as if the operators have fore knowledge of the raid
Itrsquos very disappointing ldquo PENR Officer of Agusan del Sur Roberto Oliveros said He said the area has been
on surveillance since an informant tip off the DENR of the clandestine mini saw mill operations of logs harvested by
timber poachers from a nearby defunct timberland of the PTFI Timber License Agreement holder ldquo
ldquo These illegally-cut timber arereportedlu moved through river tributaries to its destination in the
sawmilling plants built along the riverbanks It took the DENR about 48 hours with interval to extract the logs at the
different sawmills plants which included 243 pieces ( 2809 cubic meters at Purok 4 996 pieces ( 8599 cubic me-
ters) at Purok 3 at Sitio Don Alejandro all in Barangay Baylo San Luis Agusan del Sur and 200 pieces ( 1974 cubic
meters ) from the Barangay Proper of Baylo Oliveros said he was verifying reports that one of the illegal sawmill
plants is operated by a barangay official of Barangay Baylo The raid has also missed to catch the hauling of lumber
in eight Saddam-type 6-wheeler trucks which went at an undisclosed place in the nearby town of Bayugan the night
before
DENR 13 Regional Director Nonito M Tamayo said some people in that barangay are reportedly codling
with timber poachers and the operations of illegal sawmill plants have been tolerated in the area
Director Tamayo instructed PENRO Oliveros to intensify monitor of illegal logging activities in the area
and the activities of timber poachers in the former TLA holders area of operations in San Luis He said the DENR-13
personnel are expected to join forces with the DENR-11 in strengthening the monitoring of illegal logs trav-
ersing the stretch of the Maharlika Highway from Agusan del Sur Compostela Valley and Davao City
DENR 13 apprehends 1439 illegal logs
in San Luis Agusan del Sur The restriction of transport of all types of logs through the Agusan
River and its tributaries which took effect on February 102014 remain
enforced until the DENR Office of the Secretary ( OSEC) issues another
order to lift up the suspension
DENR-13 Regional Director Nonito M Tamayo said he has
submitted a detailed report of the logging trade utilizing Agusan River as
one of the ways in transporting forest products by the tree farmers and the
land owners and is being reviewed by a technical group under the Of-
fice of Undersecretary for Field Operations Demetrio L IgnacioJr
ldquo We have considered everything and consulted several sectors
of the industry environmentalists and local officials that made us to
propose that the movement of logs should be done only during daytime rdquo
RD Tamayo said ldquo Let us hope the top management would consider it rdquo he added
Since the supension took effect six month ago the DENR has stopped issuing permits for all types of logs using Agusan river and
its tributaries as waterways to move the forest products to the various wood processing plants along riverbanks in Butuan City and in other parts in Agusan
del Sur
Undersecretary Ignacio Jr has issued the log movement restriction order on Agusan river on a memorandum sent to RD Tamayo The memo
also cited wanton disregard of regulations imposed under Executive 23 by some people as one of the reasons for the restriction of log movement on
Agusan river The memo also cited that ldquorafting and towing of logs on Agusan river have contributed to the inundation and scouring of the river banks
made worst during heavy rains that has significantly contributed to the siltation of the riverrdquo ( EFG)
Log restriction movement along
Agusan River remains enforced
Agusan River
DENR-13 Regional Executive Director Nonito M Tamayo assisted by
Police Chief Supt Dominador E Aquino JrActing Regional Director of
PNP-13 and PSSUPT Joseph D Plaza Batallion Commander of 13th
RPSB pins award of medal to the three policemen namely PO2 Arin F
Dela Cruz PO1 Sherwin Clyde M Castrodes PO1 Alejandrino M Intas
of the 1st Company 13th Regional Special Police Service Batallion
DENR commends PNP -13
TO PAGE 12
KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN January to June 2014 KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN January to June 2014
BISLIG CITY mdash The construction of a ldquostate-of-the artrdquo nursery house for tree seedlings
in Bislig Surigao del Sur the first of its kind in Caraga Region being supervised by the
Ecosystem Research and Development of the DENR is expected to be completed
before the end of this year It can produce 12 million tree seedlings every year
This Mechanization and Modernization of Forest Nursery is the pet project of
DENR Secretary Ramon JP Paje in his objective to produce large volume of high-quality
planting materials through a more efficient and cost-effective methods of propagation in
support of the seedlings needs of the National Greening Program
Secretary Paje said the NGP targets to plant about 1 billion tree seedlings of dif-
ferent species planted over 15 million hectares in various areas all over the country by 2016
DENR OIC Regional Director Nonito M Tamayo has instructed his five PENROs
and 13 CENROs to plant tree seedlings that are adaptable to soil conditions in a given area
including the mangrove and beach forest on the shorelines
The mechanized nursery project was initiated by RD Tamayo and RTD Ronilo Sa-
lac of ERDS and the Bio-diversity Management Regional Office From the concept they
did everything to prove that this region deserves one allocation of the the four project sites
in the country Such modern and mechanized seedling nursery costs about P 353 million
The other areas are found in Luzon and the Visayas
Work activities of the modern nursery at the area of the ERDS in Bislig Surigao
del Sur began in January this year through the four winning bidders all of them are based in
Butuan City doing separate project components This
included the Hardening Area a 15000 sqmeter- lot
which will ensure the gradual exposure of the seedlings
into full sunlight for the sturdy and quality planting ma-
terials before they are planted into selected planting
sites It has a section called the Growing area which is
a 10000- sqmeter lot that functions as development of
geminants into seedlings At the other side is the the
Seeder Building which processes the sowing of seeds
into the styro-blocks propagation container with custom-
ized seed pads and treated through a misting area for
watering before they are placed into the greenhouse
There are two Greenhouse buildings being built at a 350 sqmeter lot in that area These build-
ings are equipped with misting devices and other facilities that helps in the germination process
of the germinants
RED Tamayo gave his assurance that the mechanized nursery will produce at least 12
million good quality seedlings yearly assuming they will come from the Seed Production area
and Individual Plus Trees ( IPTs) and have been processed at the Mindanao Tree Seed Center
He said the nursery may also provide fruit crops vegetables and cut flowers so that
the tree farmers can earn their livelihood while waiting for the tree crops to yield fruits and
harvested He expressed optimism that the project will succeed according to plans and pro-
grams laid out by the DENR technical people so that the country can enjoy a good and healthy
environment in the midst of a global climate change ( RPAO 13 Eric Gallego )
P 35-m mechanize seedling center
rises up in Bislig City
By Eric F Gallego
7 14
The City Government of Butuan City have officially proclaimed its consent to
share its 15204 -sqmeter (15 hectares) real estate property to the
Department of Environment and Natural Resources which is been utilized
by the DENR-13 Ecosystem Research and Development for the Macrosomat-
ic Clonal Propagation Complex at Sitio Buod Barangay Pinamangculan in
Butuan City since 2001
The move was made during the formal signing of the Memorandum of Agree-
ment between DENR-13 Regional Director Nonito M Tamayo and City
Mayor M Amante Jr in a simple ceremony held at the DENR clonal propa-
gation complex in that barangay on May 152014 Also present to witness the
event were Virgilio G Nery Chairman of the SP Committee on Environment
and Natural Resources City Administrator Leah A Mendoza Regional
Technical Director of DENR Research Ronill L Salac and the OIC CENR
Officer of Nasipit Norman Asungan
The city government had agreed that it shall recognize the existence of the
DENR Caraga Macrosomatic Clonal Nursery and support the DENR through providing assistance
in infrastructure and road buildings
The DENR on the other hand shall maintain the clonal nursery complex as well as
produce quality planting stocks of indigenous forest trees and other equally important species for
environment protection and rehabilitation It shall also support the city government in the
promotion of environment and natural resources development programs through provision of
technical assistance and high-quality planting materials
Director Tamayo said the complex will also serve as learning laboratory for students
and environmental science researchers He thanked the city government for sharing
responsibilities and resources with the DENR for effective implementation of environmental
activities in the city in support of Climate Change mitigation and adaptation program
Mayor Amante said the city government has envisioned to transform Butuan City
as Center of Forest in the country by 2020 Corollary to this vision of 1 million trees by 2020
the city government has started initiating tree planting activities in different areas ldquo
We are looking ahead that Butuan City will become a show window for sustainable forest-based
economy while Butuan enjoy a high-per capita incomerdquo
The City Mayor and RD Tamayor afterward proceeded to the planting site where they
planted seedling of Bagoadlau species ( Xanthostemon philippinesis ) The mayor also toured the
complex and expressed appreciation of the process of clonal procedure in seedling production
The clonal nursery was established in 2001 under the initiative of the late
Representative of the 1st District of Agusan del Norte Leovigildo Banaag (EFG)
Mayor Amante shares 15 hectare govrsquot land to the DENR
KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN January to June 2014 KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN January to June 2014
In a remote village of Lucac in San Francisco Agusan del Sur the farm-
ers who belong to the Lucac Pilot Community Forest Beneficiaries
Association ( LUPICOMFOBA) are patiently waiting for the proper time
of harvest from the tree crops and falcata trees they have planted under the
National Greening Program ( NGP ) The farmers expect to earn a hefty
income from the crops and tree plantation which are enough to send their
children to school and perhaps pursue their dreams of finishing a college degree
from fine schools in Davao City or Butuan City
The NGP has found a way in that upland community of indigenous
people to find relief who for years have been trapped in the cycle of poverty
In fact most of the 40 member farmers of that association have been in one
way engaged in illegal logging activities to make both ends meet
ldquo At that time we were focused only on the survival otherwise
we will die in starvationrdquo Mario Crecensio said in an interview during the visit
of DENR OIC Regional Director Nonito M Tamayo with PENRO Roberto Oli-
veros and other DENR field personnel
ldquo I was impressed by the achievement made by this association since
their members have enrolled in the NGPrdquo Director Tamayo said
Since the LUPICOMFIRBA was organized in 2011 many things in
the lives of the farmers have changed Most of them according to Cresencio
have shunned timber poaching and focused themselves on farming
ldquo Wersquove got plenty of banana plantation here beside the other cropsrdquo Cres-
encio said The association is earning an average income of P 10000 every week
from the sale of bananas of ldquo lakatan ldquo variety
The members have cultivated part of the 1 000 hectares timberland that
the DENR had awarded to them for rehabilitation under the Community-Based
Forest Management Agreement ( CBFMA) in the year 2000
Crecencio said the members have developed about 292 hectares of
this awarded land and planted it with rubber trees ipil-ipil and kakawate trees for
fuel wood production Afterwards he said ldquo we expanded and planted the idle 40
hectare land with fast growing falcata trees ldquo The farmers then introduced the
ldquointercroppingrdquo farm technique to double their production
ldquo We never
thought twice when we learned of the NGP We availed of the program when a DENR extension
worker came to our village one day to promote the programrdquo he said
Crecensio has revisited his idle farm owned by his parents and planted the 20-hectare agricul-
tural land with falcata seedlings He expects to earn at least P 10 million from the harvest of falcata
three years from now
ldquo I guess we are now contented with this kind of living as compared in the past ldquo he said
Director Tamayo said ldquo the main essence of the NGP is to relieve the farmers from poverty
We are seeing this principle in this place ldquo
PENRO Oliveros said that the people used to look at the forest as a source of livelihood
hence illegal logging was considered as alternative to earn incomerdquo
But the NGP has totally changed that attitude ldquo The people in that village have learned to
adopt the concept of the NGP since every farmer who has a piece of land would now want to plant tree
seedlings blend with cash cropsrdquo PENRO Oliveros said ( RPAO 13 )
8 13
NGP licks poverty in Agusan del Sur By Eric Galleo and Christine Selanova
Butuan City-- Barring any complication in about four years from now the members of the of the Aclan River Farmers Cooperative
( ARFAMCO ) in Barangay Aclan Nasipit Agusan del Norte shall be richer by more than P30 million which is the fruits of their labor
under the National Greening Program ( NGP)
But looking back on those years that the mem-
bers have gone through are pictures of gloomy experi-
ences that most of them would always remember the
saga in life that they went through to survive Most
them were dependent from the Nasipit Lumber
Company ( NALCO) and enjoying comforts in life at the
peak of its operation in the 70rsquos But when the
company had ceased its operation due to bankruptcy
they became broke and resorted to illegal logging by
relentlessly cutting trees in plantation areas
maintained by the company It was a season when
poachers have their hey days raking tremendous earn-
ings from illegal activities
The time came when the DENR restricted the
laws on PD 705 and intensified its anti-illegal logging
campaign The idled ndash former workers of NALCO could no longer trade those undocu-
mented logs in the open market as easy as before Hence they resorted to farming
through slash and burn beside illegal logging
There was never a time when the forest plantation maintained by the defunct
NALCO was seriously threatened with wanton destruction than the farmers arming
themselves with axes and sharp boloes to cut the trees for income and burn the soil so
they can plant agricultural crops ldquo Hunger stalked upon us and we need to survive from starvationrdquo Norlito T Saylon President of
the ARFAMCO said ldquo We gained at first attempt but ended up in a situation much worst than the previous years owing to unproductive landsrdquo
Saylon said ldquo We became more poorer desperate and often wanting in needs but we can not do otherwise except resort to illegal cutting to
surviverdquo he added
He said his peers were relieved when they heard of the National Greening Program ( NGP) of President Benigno S Aquino ldquo We were
happy after an extension worker from the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office ( CENRO) in Nasipit Agusan del Norte came
to our community in 2011 and offered us the chance to participate in the NGP program rdquo Saylon said
He said that they have realize then that the NGP program is good because it addresses the specific needs of their group He said there
were several livelihood opportunities available in the past years that were offered by several government agencies but the NGP is better rdquo
Saylon said To Page 18
Poor farmers get richer by P 30 million
from NGP in Aclan Nasipit Agusan del Norte
By Eric Herzon F Gallego
NORLITO T SAYLON
KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN January to June 2014 KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN January to June 2014
The DENR through the Land Management Services has acquired the services of CM ESPARRAGO SURVEYING SERVICES for the cadastral survey project of two municipalities in Surigao del Norte and Surigao City for a contract price of P 5737776 The amount will be spent in the survey of the political boundaries of Surigao City and the municipalities of Sta Monica and Dapa in Surigao del Norte DENR 13 Regional Executive Director Nonito M Tamayo has formalized the deal through the Contract of Agreement ( CoA) he signed with Engr Cristopher M Esparrago in a simple ceremony held the REDrsquos office on February 062014 The signing was also witnessed by the Regional Technical Director for Land Management Services ( LMS) Atty Paquito R Rosal and the Regional Cadastral Survey Projects Coordinator at the DENR-LMS Engr Bernard A Daitol Dapa Surigao del Norte has 140 political boundaries and 47 points along rivers and shorelines Sta Monica Surigao del Norte has 55 estimated political boundaries and 18 points along rivers and shore-lines Surigao City on the other hand has 154 political boundaries and 17 points along rivers and shoreline Under the contract the CM Esparrago Surveying Services shall complete and execute the cadastral survey of political boundaries of the said municipalities and Surigao City in at least one year time
A cadastral survey[1]
or cadastral map is a comprehensive register of the real estate or real propertys metes-and-bounds of a country It commonly includes details of the ownership the tenure the precise location (some include GPS coordinates) the dimensions (and area) the cultivations if rural and the value of individual parcels of land Cadastres are used by many nations around the world
[1] some in con-
junction with other records such as a title register
In most countries legal systems have developed around the original administrative systems and use the cadastre to define the di-mensions and location of land parcels described in legal documentation The cadastre is a fundamental source of data in disputes and lawsuits between landowners
DENR finalizes Master Plan for Agusan River
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources Region 13 Office has hired the
services of the Lichel Technologies Inc for P4950 million to finalize the Master Plan
of the Agusan River Basin (ARB) program
DENR-13 Regional Executive Director Nonito M Tamayo signed the Contract
of Agreement with the Managing Director of the Lichel Technologies Inc Rachel A Vasquez
in a simple ceremony held at the DENR Regional Conference Room in Barangay Ambago Butuan
City on Tuesday (March 18 2014 )
The scope of works as defined in the agreement involve preparations of work and
financial plan an outline of the updated enhanced Agusan River Basin Master Plan generation
of primary data undertake surveys interviews and fieldworks integrate commends and recommen-
dations generated from series of consultations and workshop with provinces cities regional tech-
nical working groups regional development councils indigenous cultural and tribal communities
conduct analysis on the conflicting tenurial claims and mining tenements employ GIS and remote
sensing technology in the analysis of the basinrsquos condition identification of development interven-
tions Bio-physical assessment by sub-basin disaster risk assessment and climate change
vulnerability assessment land use analysis by sub basin specific for flooding flood modelling
using 100 years hydro-meteorological data and re-packaging of the master plan among others
9 12
ldquo The heroic act of PNP personnel and the DENR
personnel at the forefront of the anti-illegal log-
ging campaign is laudable and exceptional for
the DENR top management recognized their
sacrfices and contributions in the campaign rdquo he
said
ldquo Incidents of Illegal logging in Caraga
region are steadily going down owing to the inten-
sive police and military campaign which prompt
timber poacher and smugglers to pause and think
twice with their illegal activities rdquo Director
Tamayo said
During the occasion the DENR gave
certificates of recognition and P 100000 cash
incentive each to PO2 Arwin F Dela Cruz PO1
Sherwin Clyde M Castrodes PO1 Alejandro M
Intas of the 1st Company Regional Police Securi-
ty Batallion They were with the team of DENR
personnel trying to retrieve several pieces of ille-
gal logs in Barobo Surigao del Sur recently when
DENR seeks police assistance in monitoring of
closed vans with illegal forest products
KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN
The Police and the Philippine Army have been asked to tighten its monitoring
on the closed vans and trucks that are traversing the major highways to Davao fol-
lowing reports that they are carrying lumber products of banned species
ldquo Wersquove been informed that timber poachers are processing illegally-cut logs
of banned species a into small pieces materials from a secluded area which are then
placed on closed vans before they are transported to a plywood processing plants in
Davao City Cebu and Manila for plywood materialsrdquo Regional Director Nonito M
Tamayo said
At present all the wood processing plants in cities of Butuan and Cagayan de
Oro are using falcata gubas or acacia mangium species for their plywood production
because of the prevailing ban on cutting of hardwoods by virtue of Executive Order
No 23
Reports said however that some plywood plant operators in some areas of Mindanao are buying these illegal products from
unscrupulous poachers ldquoWe are finding difficulty in monitoring the movement of these undocumented forest products after they are
put on sealed vans ldquo Tamayo said
FROM PAGE 6 hellip DENR Commends PNP-13
DENR conducts survey of political boundaries in Surigao City Dapa and Sta Monica in Surgao del Norte
Butuan City ndash A worker a mining area in Tubay Agusan del Norte rescued a juvenile Frigate bird in March 2014 and
turn it over to the DENR authorities ldquo The bird appeared to be exhausted and trying to regain its strength from
a long flight ldquo Roed Nakila a mining worker said
ldquo We thought it was dead but when we got near the bird is struggling so we took it to our shelter ldquo he said
ldquoItrsquos was the first time I saw that kind of bird ldquo Nakila said adding he was tempted on keeping it as pet
The juvenile frigate bird measures 94 centimeters with a wingspan of 198 centimeters It weighs about 500
grams The Frigate birds are a family of seabirds also known as frigate pelicans It can be found breeding along the
Pacific coast of Costa Rica particularly at the Corcovado National Park An adult Frigate birds measures 1 meter long
with a 215 meter wingspan The males have a red pouch that is inflated during the breeding season to attract a mate
Females are black but have a white breast and lower neck sides a brown band on the wings and a blue eye ring
They lack the ability to take off from water so they snatch prey from the ocean surface or beach using their long hooked bills Frigate birds are
seasonally monogamous which means they only mate with one female per season
Frigate birds are not classified as an endangered species but populations appear to be declining mainly due to human destruction of habitat for housing
and resorts and disturbance in colonies Introducing predators on islands and over-fishing are also potential problems They spend days and nights on the air with
an average ground speed of 10 kmhour covering 223 km before landing
DENR -13 Protected Area and Wildlife has declared the juvenile Frigate to be in good condition after it was examined at the Regional Animal Disease
Diagnostic Lab at Barangay Taguibo Butuan City ( EFG)
Mining worker saves a juvenile Frigate bird
January to June 2014 January to June 2014
The employees of the DENR Region 13 have successfully con-
cluded the Environment Month Celebration on Monday with the
call of readiness in the face of the Global Climate Change amid
funs and games and talent competition held at the DENR 13 Cov-
ered Court in Barangay Ambago Butuan City on June 30 2014
28 individuals including seven companies and local gov-
ernment units were given Certificates of Recognition as ldquo Envi-
ronmental Heroesrdquo for their untainted support to the programs of
the DENR in particular the Anti- Illegal Logging Campaign and
the National Greening Program (NGP)
ldquo I wish to thank all those individuals companies local government units the Philippine National Police and the Philippine
Army under the 4th Infantry Division who help in pursuing the goals and programs of the DENR with the objective of uplifting the living condition of the people in
the uplands and remote mountain villagesrsquo Regional Director Nonito M Tamayo said in his remarks at the culmination program
Amidst the celebration however Director Tamayo reminded the people to take extra careful of the danger pose by the rising sea level owing to intense ef-
fect of Global Warming that also triggers Global Climate Change
Although it was not his intention to spoil the party Director Tamayo nevertheless reminded the audience about the recent disaster in provinces of Leyte Sa-
mar and other provinces in the Eastern Visayas hit by Typhoon Yolanda in November 8 last year which claimed hundreds of human lives and destroyed billion of
pesos worth of infrastructure agriculture schools buildings and houses could happen again in the days ahead ldquo This is the new normal disaster where you can see
storm surges caused by strong typhoonsrdquo Tamayo said
ldquo It would be best for all of us particularly those people living along the coastal areas to be ready and prepared all the time since our guarantee of our safety is
uncertain in the face of the climate changerdquo he said
January to June 2014 January to June 2014 KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN 10 11
ldquo When you see a standing tree ponder on the crucial role it plays in carbon dioxide sequestrationrdquo by
DENR 13 Regional Director Nonito M Tamayo said on the opening salvo of the Environment Month celebration
ldquo Trees provide a very important role in carbon dioxide sequestration the so -called major factor in the
global warming of the earth ldquo he said as the DENR employees prepares to hold a motorcade on Thursday June 5
from Butuan City to Calac-an Magallanes Agusan del Norte to drumbeat the World Environment Day with the
theme ldquo Raise your voice not the sea levelrdquo The partici-
pants in motorcade have planted mangrove at the
shorelines of Magallanes on that day
Director Tamayo said folk in the hinterlands often
see the trees as source of livelihood when they cut and sell
them to the wood processing plants for money to survive ldquo
But little did they know that the trees play a crucial
role in removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere
through the natural process of photosynthesis and store the
carbon in their leaves branches stems barks and rootsrdquo
Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a natural greenhouse gas
in the atmosphere partly responsible for the earthrsquos
relatively stable climate It is a lsquogreenhousersquo gas because it
traps heat near the earth surface contributing to [observed
and predicted] global warming
He said human activities especially the burning of
fossil fuels such as coals and oil and destruction of natural
forest are greatly increasing the level of Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere Based on scientist findings the
level of CO2 in the atmosphere has increased last century from 284 parts per million in 1832 to about 387
parts per million in 2009 Other gases that have much greater warming impact than carbon dioxide are
methane and nitrous oxide
Tamayo said the DENR has been issuing various warnings in the past that the Philippines is likely to
experience more extreme weather patterns with higher average temperatures possibly long heatwaves and
minimal rainfall if the Greenhouse Effect proceeds as predicted
He said the trees have good uses in arresting Carbon dioxide emissions and therefore the people
should be encouraged to increase the area of forest and tree plantations ldquo Natural and planted forest act as
sink for absorbing CO2 from the atmosphererdquo Director Tamayo said
Director Tamayo said the people should support the National Greening Program (NGP) being implemented through the DENR The program seeks to plant
15 billion seedlings in 15 million hectares of timberlands nationwide from 2011 to 2016
He cited an Australian Greenhouse Office report that ldquo trees in forest ( including plantations) if well-stocked typically sequester carbon at a maximum
rate between about age 10 and age 20-30 As an indication the report says that at age 30 years about 200 to 520 tonnes Carbon dioxide equivalent are sequestered
per hectare in the forestrdquo
ldquo After this age if the trees are not harvested the report says ldquo the sequestration rate slows gradually until maturity of about 80 to 100 years of age and
flattens out from then on as growth is balanced by decayrdquo
Director Tamayo said the people therefore is encouraged to support the reforestation program of the government through the NGP
He said that based on scientific findings ldquo reforesting cleared areas will create carbon sinks to counteract greenhouse gas emissions and will assist in other aspects of
environmental improvement such as salinity control and creation of wildlife habitatrdquo
Bitaog The Philippine Centennial Tree
ldquo When you see a standing tree think about its crucial role rdquo The 2014 Environment Month celebration
Laro ng Lahi RPAO Chief Eric Gallego The contestant
PENRO Obet Oliveros CENRO Luis Gonzaga
Atty Jun Nistal Chief Legal PENROs Zaldy Perater and Rosendo Asunto
BISLIG CITY mdash The construction of a ldquostate-of-the artrdquo nursery house for tree seedlings
in Bislig Surigao del Sur the first of its kind in Caraga Region being supervised by the
Ecosystem Research and Development of the DENR is expected to be completed
before the end of this year It can produce 12 million tree seedlings every year
This Mechanization and Modernization of Forest Nursery is the pet project of
DENR Secretary Ramon JP Paje in his objective to produce large volume of high-quality
planting materials through a more efficient and cost-effective methods of propagation in
support of the seedlings needs of the National Greening Program
Secretary Paje said the NGP targets to plant about 1 billion tree seedlings of dif-
ferent species planted over 15 million hectares in various areas all over the country by 2016
DENR OIC Regional Director Nonito M Tamayo has instructed his five PENROs
and 13 CENROs to plant tree seedlings that are adaptable to soil conditions in a given area
including the mangrove and beach forest on the shorelines
The mechanized nursery project was initiated by RD Tamayo and RTD Ronilo Sa-
lac of ERDS and the Bio-diversity Management Regional Office From the concept they
did everything to prove that this region deserves one allocation of the the four project sites
in the country Such modern and mechanized seedling nursery costs about P 353 million
The other areas are found in Luzon and the Visayas
Work activities of the modern nursery at the area of the ERDS in Bislig Surigao
del Sur began in January this year through the four winning bidders all of them are based in
Butuan City doing separate project components This
included the Hardening Area a 15000 sqmeter- lot
which will ensure the gradual exposure of the seedlings
into full sunlight for the sturdy and quality planting ma-
terials before they are planted into selected planting
sites It has a section called the Growing area which is
a 10000- sqmeter lot that functions as development of
geminants into seedlings At the other side is the the
Seeder Building which processes the sowing of seeds
into the styro-blocks propagation container with custom-
ized seed pads and treated through a misting area for
watering before they are placed into the greenhouse
There are two Greenhouse buildings being built at a 350 sqmeter lot in that area These build-
ings are equipped with misting devices and other facilities that helps in the germination process
of the germinants
RED Tamayo gave his assurance that the mechanized nursery will produce at least 12
million good quality seedlings yearly assuming they will come from the Seed Production area
and Individual Plus Trees ( IPTs) and have been processed at the Mindanao Tree Seed Center
He said the nursery may also provide fruit crops vegetables and cut flowers so that
the tree farmers can earn their livelihood while waiting for the tree crops to yield fruits and
harvested He expressed optimism that the project will succeed according to plans and pro-
grams laid out by the DENR technical people so that the country can enjoy a good and healthy
environment in the midst of a global climate change ( RPAO 13 Eric Gallego )
P 35-m mechanize seedling center
rises up in Bislig City
By Eric F Gallego
7 14
The City Government of Butuan City have officially proclaimed its consent to
share its 15204 -sqmeter (15 hectares) real estate property to the
Department of Environment and Natural Resources which is been utilized
by the DENR-13 Ecosystem Research and Development for the Macrosomat-
ic Clonal Propagation Complex at Sitio Buod Barangay Pinamangculan in
Butuan City since 2001
The move was made during the formal signing of the Memorandum of Agree-
ment between DENR-13 Regional Director Nonito M Tamayo and City
Mayor M Amante Jr in a simple ceremony held at the DENR clonal propa-
gation complex in that barangay on May 152014 Also present to witness the
event were Virgilio G Nery Chairman of the SP Committee on Environment
and Natural Resources City Administrator Leah A Mendoza Regional
Technical Director of DENR Research Ronill L Salac and the OIC CENR
Officer of Nasipit Norman Asungan
The city government had agreed that it shall recognize the existence of the
DENR Caraga Macrosomatic Clonal Nursery and support the DENR through providing assistance
in infrastructure and road buildings
The DENR on the other hand shall maintain the clonal nursery complex as well as
produce quality planting stocks of indigenous forest trees and other equally important species for
environment protection and rehabilitation It shall also support the city government in the
promotion of environment and natural resources development programs through provision of
technical assistance and high-quality planting materials
Director Tamayo said the complex will also serve as learning laboratory for students
and environmental science researchers He thanked the city government for sharing
responsibilities and resources with the DENR for effective implementation of environmental
activities in the city in support of Climate Change mitigation and adaptation program
Mayor Amante said the city government has envisioned to transform Butuan City
as Center of Forest in the country by 2020 Corollary to this vision of 1 million trees by 2020
the city government has started initiating tree planting activities in different areas ldquo
We are looking ahead that Butuan City will become a show window for sustainable forest-based
economy while Butuan enjoy a high-per capita incomerdquo
The City Mayor and RD Tamayor afterward proceeded to the planting site where they
planted seedling of Bagoadlau species ( Xanthostemon philippinesis ) The mayor also toured the
complex and expressed appreciation of the process of clonal procedure in seedling production
The clonal nursery was established in 2001 under the initiative of the late
Representative of the 1st District of Agusan del Norte Leovigildo Banaag (EFG)
Mayor Amante shares 15 hectare govrsquot land to the DENR
KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN January to June 2014 KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN January to June 2014
In a remote village of Lucac in San Francisco Agusan del Sur the farm-
ers who belong to the Lucac Pilot Community Forest Beneficiaries
Association ( LUPICOMFOBA) are patiently waiting for the proper time
of harvest from the tree crops and falcata trees they have planted under the
National Greening Program ( NGP ) The farmers expect to earn a hefty
income from the crops and tree plantation which are enough to send their
children to school and perhaps pursue their dreams of finishing a college degree
from fine schools in Davao City or Butuan City
The NGP has found a way in that upland community of indigenous
people to find relief who for years have been trapped in the cycle of poverty
In fact most of the 40 member farmers of that association have been in one
way engaged in illegal logging activities to make both ends meet
ldquo At that time we were focused only on the survival otherwise
we will die in starvationrdquo Mario Crecensio said in an interview during the visit
of DENR OIC Regional Director Nonito M Tamayo with PENRO Roberto Oli-
veros and other DENR field personnel
ldquo I was impressed by the achievement made by this association since
their members have enrolled in the NGPrdquo Director Tamayo said
Since the LUPICOMFIRBA was organized in 2011 many things in
the lives of the farmers have changed Most of them according to Cresencio
have shunned timber poaching and focused themselves on farming
ldquo Wersquove got plenty of banana plantation here beside the other cropsrdquo Cres-
encio said The association is earning an average income of P 10000 every week
from the sale of bananas of ldquo lakatan ldquo variety
The members have cultivated part of the 1 000 hectares timberland that
the DENR had awarded to them for rehabilitation under the Community-Based
Forest Management Agreement ( CBFMA) in the year 2000
Crecencio said the members have developed about 292 hectares of
this awarded land and planted it with rubber trees ipil-ipil and kakawate trees for
fuel wood production Afterwards he said ldquo we expanded and planted the idle 40
hectare land with fast growing falcata trees ldquo The farmers then introduced the
ldquointercroppingrdquo farm technique to double their production
ldquo We never
thought twice when we learned of the NGP We availed of the program when a DENR extension
worker came to our village one day to promote the programrdquo he said
Crecensio has revisited his idle farm owned by his parents and planted the 20-hectare agricul-
tural land with falcata seedlings He expects to earn at least P 10 million from the harvest of falcata
three years from now
ldquo I guess we are now contented with this kind of living as compared in the past ldquo he said
Director Tamayo said ldquo the main essence of the NGP is to relieve the farmers from poverty
We are seeing this principle in this place ldquo
PENRO Oliveros said that the people used to look at the forest as a source of livelihood
hence illegal logging was considered as alternative to earn incomerdquo
But the NGP has totally changed that attitude ldquo The people in that village have learned to
adopt the concept of the NGP since every farmer who has a piece of land would now want to plant tree
seedlings blend with cash cropsrdquo PENRO Oliveros said ( RPAO 13 )
8 13
NGP licks poverty in Agusan del Sur By Eric Galleo and Christine Selanova
Butuan City-- Barring any complication in about four years from now the members of the of the Aclan River Farmers Cooperative
( ARFAMCO ) in Barangay Aclan Nasipit Agusan del Norte shall be richer by more than P30 million which is the fruits of their labor
under the National Greening Program ( NGP)
But looking back on those years that the mem-
bers have gone through are pictures of gloomy experi-
ences that most of them would always remember the
saga in life that they went through to survive Most
them were dependent from the Nasipit Lumber
Company ( NALCO) and enjoying comforts in life at the
peak of its operation in the 70rsquos But when the
company had ceased its operation due to bankruptcy
they became broke and resorted to illegal logging by
relentlessly cutting trees in plantation areas
maintained by the company It was a season when
poachers have their hey days raking tremendous earn-
ings from illegal activities
The time came when the DENR restricted the
laws on PD 705 and intensified its anti-illegal logging
campaign The idled ndash former workers of NALCO could no longer trade those undocu-
mented logs in the open market as easy as before Hence they resorted to farming
through slash and burn beside illegal logging
There was never a time when the forest plantation maintained by the defunct
NALCO was seriously threatened with wanton destruction than the farmers arming
themselves with axes and sharp boloes to cut the trees for income and burn the soil so
they can plant agricultural crops ldquo Hunger stalked upon us and we need to survive from starvationrdquo Norlito T Saylon President of
the ARFAMCO said ldquo We gained at first attempt but ended up in a situation much worst than the previous years owing to unproductive landsrdquo
Saylon said ldquo We became more poorer desperate and often wanting in needs but we can not do otherwise except resort to illegal cutting to
surviverdquo he added
He said his peers were relieved when they heard of the National Greening Program ( NGP) of President Benigno S Aquino ldquo We were
happy after an extension worker from the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office ( CENRO) in Nasipit Agusan del Norte came
to our community in 2011 and offered us the chance to participate in the NGP program rdquo Saylon said
He said that they have realize then that the NGP program is good because it addresses the specific needs of their group He said there
were several livelihood opportunities available in the past years that were offered by several government agencies but the NGP is better rdquo
Saylon said To Page 18
Poor farmers get richer by P 30 million
from NGP in Aclan Nasipit Agusan del Norte
By Eric Herzon F Gallego
NORLITO T SAYLON
KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN January to June 2014 KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN January to June 2014
The DENR through the Land Management Services has acquired the services of CM ESPARRAGO SURVEYING SERVICES for the cadastral survey project of two municipalities in Surigao del Norte and Surigao City for a contract price of P 5737776 The amount will be spent in the survey of the political boundaries of Surigao City and the municipalities of Sta Monica and Dapa in Surigao del Norte DENR 13 Regional Executive Director Nonito M Tamayo has formalized the deal through the Contract of Agreement ( CoA) he signed with Engr Cristopher M Esparrago in a simple ceremony held the REDrsquos office on February 062014 The signing was also witnessed by the Regional Technical Director for Land Management Services ( LMS) Atty Paquito R Rosal and the Regional Cadastral Survey Projects Coordinator at the DENR-LMS Engr Bernard A Daitol Dapa Surigao del Norte has 140 political boundaries and 47 points along rivers and shorelines Sta Monica Surigao del Norte has 55 estimated political boundaries and 18 points along rivers and shore-lines Surigao City on the other hand has 154 political boundaries and 17 points along rivers and shoreline Under the contract the CM Esparrago Surveying Services shall complete and execute the cadastral survey of political boundaries of the said municipalities and Surigao City in at least one year time
A cadastral survey[1]
or cadastral map is a comprehensive register of the real estate or real propertys metes-and-bounds of a country It commonly includes details of the ownership the tenure the precise location (some include GPS coordinates) the dimensions (and area) the cultivations if rural and the value of individual parcels of land Cadastres are used by many nations around the world
[1] some in con-
junction with other records such as a title register
In most countries legal systems have developed around the original administrative systems and use the cadastre to define the di-mensions and location of land parcels described in legal documentation The cadastre is a fundamental source of data in disputes and lawsuits between landowners
DENR finalizes Master Plan for Agusan River
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources Region 13 Office has hired the
services of the Lichel Technologies Inc for P4950 million to finalize the Master Plan
of the Agusan River Basin (ARB) program
DENR-13 Regional Executive Director Nonito M Tamayo signed the Contract
of Agreement with the Managing Director of the Lichel Technologies Inc Rachel A Vasquez
in a simple ceremony held at the DENR Regional Conference Room in Barangay Ambago Butuan
City on Tuesday (March 18 2014 )
The scope of works as defined in the agreement involve preparations of work and
financial plan an outline of the updated enhanced Agusan River Basin Master Plan generation
of primary data undertake surveys interviews and fieldworks integrate commends and recommen-
dations generated from series of consultations and workshop with provinces cities regional tech-
nical working groups regional development councils indigenous cultural and tribal communities
conduct analysis on the conflicting tenurial claims and mining tenements employ GIS and remote
sensing technology in the analysis of the basinrsquos condition identification of development interven-
tions Bio-physical assessment by sub-basin disaster risk assessment and climate change
vulnerability assessment land use analysis by sub basin specific for flooding flood modelling
using 100 years hydro-meteorological data and re-packaging of the master plan among others
9 12
ldquo The heroic act of PNP personnel and the DENR
personnel at the forefront of the anti-illegal log-
ging campaign is laudable and exceptional for
the DENR top management recognized their
sacrfices and contributions in the campaign rdquo he
said
ldquo Incidents of Illegal logging in Caraga
region are steadily going down owing to the inten-
sive police and military campaign which prompt
timber poacher and smugglers to pause and think
twice with their illegal activities rdquo Director
Tamayo said
During the occasion the DENR gave
certificates of recognition and P 100000 cash
incentive each to PO2 Arwin F Dela Cruz PO1
Sherwin Clyde M Castrodes PO1 Alejandro M
Intas of the 1st Company Regional Police Securi-
ty Batallion They were with the team of DENR
personnel trying to retrieve several pieces of ille-
gal logs in Barobo Surigao del Sur recently when
DENR seeks police assistance in monitoring of
closed vans with illegal forest products
KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN
The Police and the Philippine Army have been asked to tighten its monitoring
on the closed vans and trucks that are traversing the major highways to Davao fol-
lowing reports that they are carrying lumber products of banned species
ldquo Wersquove been informed that timber poachers are processing illegally-cut logs
of banned species a into small pieces materials from a secluded area which are then
placed on closed vans before they are transported to a plywood processing plants in
Davao City Cebu and Manila for plywood materialsrdquo Regional Director Nonito M
Tamayo said
At present all the wood processing plants in cities of Butuan and Cagayan de
Oro are using falcata gubas or acacia mangium species for their plywood production
because of the prevailing ban on cutting of hardwoods by virtue of Executive Order
No 23
Reports said however that some plywood plant operators in some areas of Mindanao are buying these illegal products from
unscrupulous poachers ldquoWe are finding difficulty in monitoring the movement of these undocumented forest products after they are
put on sealed vans ldquo Tamayo said
FROM PAGE 6 hellip DENR Commends PNP-13
DENR conducts survey of political boundaries in Surigao City Dapa and Sta Monica in Surgao del Norte
Butuan City ndash A worker a mining area in Tubay Agusan del Norte rescued a juvenile Frigate bird in March 2014 and
turn it over to the DENR authorities ldquo The bird appeared to be exhausted and trying to regain its strength from
a long flight ldquo Roed Nakila a mining worker said
ldquo We thought it was dead but when we got near the bird is struggling so we took it to our shelter ldquo he said
ldquoItrsquos was the first time I saw that kind of bird ldquo Nakila said adding he was tempted on keeping it as pet
The juvenile frigate bird measures 94 centimeters with a wingspan of 198 centimeters It weighs about 500
grams The Frigate birds are a family of seabirds also known as frigate pelicans It can be found breeding along the
Pacific coast of Costa Rica particularly at the Corcovado National Park An adult Frigate birds measures 1 meter long
with a 215 meter wingspan The males have a red pouch that is inflated during the breeding season to attract a mate
Females are black but have a white breast and lower neck sides a brown band on the wings and a blue eye ring
They lack the ability to take off from water so they snatch prey from the ocean surface or beach using their long hooked bills Frigate birds are
seasonally monogamous which means they only mate with one female per season
Frigate birds are not classified as an endangered species but populations appear to be declining mainly due to human destruction of habitat for housing
and resorts and disturbance in colonies Introducing predators on islands and over-fishing are also potential problems They spend days and nights on the air with
an average ground speed of 10 kmhour covering 223 km before landing
DENR -13 Protected Area and Wildlife has declared the juvenile Frigate to be in good condition after it was examined at the Regional Animal Disease
Diagnostic Lab at Barangay Taguibo Butuan City ( EFG)
Mining worker saves a juvenile Frigate bird
January to June 2014 January to June 2014
The employees of the DENR Region 13 have successfully con-
cluded the Environment Month Celebration on Monday with the
call of readiness in the face of the Global Climate Change amid
funs and games and talent competition held at the DENR 13 Cov-
ered Court in Barangay Ambago Butuan City on June 30 2014
28 individuals including seven companies and local gov-
ernment units were given Certificates of Recognition as ldquo Envi-
ronmental Heroesrdquo for their untainted support to the programs of
the DENR in particular the Anti- Illegal Logging Campaign and
the National Greening Program (NGP)
ldquo I wish to thank all those individuals companies local government units the Philippine National Police and the Philippine
Army under the 4th Infantry Division who help in pursuing the goals and programs of the DENR with the objective of uplifting the living condition of the people in
the uplands and remote mountain villagesrsquo Regional Director Nonito M Tamayo said in his remarks at the culmination program
Amidst the celebration however Director Tamayo reminded the people to take extra careful of the danger pose by the rising sea level owing to intense ef-
fect of Global Warming that also triggers Global Climate Change
Although it was not his intention to spoil the party Director Tamayo nevertheless reminded the audience about the recent disaster in provinces of Leyte Sa-
mar and other provinces in the Eastern Visayas hit by Typhoon Yolanda in November 8 last year which claimed hundreds of human lives and destroyed billion of
pesos worth of infrastructure agriculture schools buildings and houses could happen again in the days ahead ldquo This is the new normal disaster where you can see
storm surges caused by strong typhoonsrdquo Tamayo said
ldquo It would be best for all of us particularly those people living along the coastal areas to be ready and prepared all the time since our guarantee of our safety is
uncertain in the face of the climate changerdquo he said
January to June 2014 January to June 2014 KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN 10 11
ldquo When you see a standing tree ponder on the crucial role it plays in carbon dioxide sequestrationrdquo by
DENR 13 Regional Director Nonito M Tamayo said on the opening salvo of the Environment Month celebration
ldquo Trees provide a very important role in carbon dioxide sequestration the so -called major factor in the
global warming of the earth ldquo he said as the DENR employees prepares to hold a motorcade on Thursday June 5
from Butuan City to Calac-an Magallanes Agusan del Norte to drumbeat the World Environment Day with the
theme ldquo Raise your voice not the sea levelrdquo The partici-
pants in motorcade have planted mangrove at the
shorelines of Magallanes on that day
Director Tamayo said folk in the hinterlands often
see the trees as source of livelihood when they cut and sell
them to the wood processing plants for money to survive ldquo
But little did they know that the trees play a crucial
role in removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere
through the natural process of photosynthesis and store the
carbon in their leaves branches stems barks and rootsrdquo
Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a natural greenhouse gas
in the atmosphere partly responsible for the earthrsquos
relatively stable climate It is a lsquogreenhousersquo gas because it
traps heat near the earth surface contributing to [observed
and predicted] global warming
He said human activities especially the burning of
fossil fuels such as coals and oil and destruction of natural
forest are greatly increasing the level of Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere Based on scientist findings the
level of CO2 in the atmosphere has increased last century from 284 parts per million in 1832 to about 387
parts per million in 2009 Other gases that have much greater warming impact than carbon dioxide are
methane and nitrous oxide
Tamayo said the DENR has been issuing various warnings in the past that the Philippines is likely to
experience more extreme weather patterns with higher average temperatures possibly long heatwaves and
minimal rainfall if the Greenhouse Effect proceeds as predicted
He said the trees have good uses in arresting Carbon dioxide emissions and therefore the people
should be encouraged to increase the area of forest and tree plantations ldquo Natural and planted forest act as
sink for absorbing CO2 from the atmosphererdquo Director Tamayo said
Director Tamayo said the people should support the National Greening Program (NGP) being implemented through the DENR The program seeks to plant
15 billion seedlings in 15 million hectares of timberlands nationwide from 2011 to 2016
He cited an Australian Greenhouse Office report that ldquo trees in forest ( including plantations) if well-stocked typically sequester carbon at a maximum
rate between about age 10 and age 20-30 As an indication the report says that at age 30 years about 200 to 520 tonnes Carbon dioxide equivalent are sequestered
per hectare in the forestrdquo
ldquo After this age if the trees are not harvested the report says ldquo the sequestration rate slows gradually until maturity of about 80 to 100 years of age and
flattens out from then on as growth is balanced by decayrdquo
Director Tamayo said the people therefore is encouraged to support the reforestation program of the government through the NGP
He said that based on scientific findings ldquo reforesting cleared areas will create carbon sinks to counteract greenhouse gas emissions and will assist in other aspects of
environmental improvement such as salinity control and creation of wildlife habitatrdquo
Bitaog The Philippine Centennial Tree
ldquo When you see a standing tree think about its crucial role rdquo The 2014 Environment Month celebration
Laro ng Lahi RPAO Chief Eric Gallego The contestant
PENRO Obet Oliveros CENRO Luis Gonzaga
Atty Jun Nistal Chief Legal PENROs Zaldy Perater and Rosendo Asunto
In a remote village of Lucac in San Francisco Agusan del Sur the farm-
ers who belong to the Lucac Pilot Community Forest Beneficiaries
Association ( LUPICOMFOBA) are patiently waiting for the proper time
of harvest from the tree crops and falcata trees they have planted under the
National Greening Program ( NGP ) The farmers expect to earn a hefty
income from the crops and tree plantation which are enough to send their
children to school and perhaps pursue their dreams of finishing a college degree
from fine schools in Davao City or Butuan City
The NGP has found a way in that upland community of indigenous
people to find relief who for years have been trapped in the cycle of poverty
In fact most of the 40 member farmers of that association have been in one
way engaged in illegal logging activities to make both ends meet
ldquo At that time we were focused only on the survival otherwise
we will die in starvationrdquo Mario Crecensio said in an interview during the visit
of DENR OIC Regional Director Nonito M Tamayo with PENRO Roberto Oli-
veros and other DENR field personnel
ldquo I was impressed by the achievement made by this association since
their members have enrolled in the NGPrdquo Director Tamayo said
Since the LUPICOMFIRBA was organized in 2011 many things in
the lives of the farmers have changed Most of them according to Cresencio
have shunned timber poaching and focused themselves on farming
ldquo Wersquove got plenty of banana plantation here beside the other cropsrdquo Cres-
encio said The association is earning an average income of P 10000 every week
from the sale of bananas of ldquo lakatan ldquo variety
The members have cultivated part of the 1 000 hectares timberland that
the DENR had awarded to them for rehabilitation under the Community-Based
Forest Management Agreement ( CBFMA) in the year 2000
Crecencio said the members have developed about 292 hectares of
this awarded land and planted it with rubber trees ipil-ipil and kakawate trees for
fuel wood production Afterwards he said ldquo we expanded and planted the idle 40
hectare land with fast growing falcata trees ldquo The farmers then introduced the
ldquointercroppingrdquo farm technique to double their production
ldquo We never
thought twice when we learned of the NGP We availed of the program when a DENR extension
worker came to our village one day to promote the programrdquo he said
Crecensio has revisited his idle farm owned by his parents and planted the 20-hectare agricul-
tural land with falcata seedlings He expects to earn at least P 10 million from the harvest of falcata
three years from now
ldquo I guess we are now contented with this kind of living as compared in the past ldquo he said
Director Tamayo said ldquo the main essence of the NGP is to relieve the farmers from poverty
We are seeing this principle in this place ldquo
PENRO Oliveros said that the people used to look at the forest as a source of livelihood
hence illegal logging was considered as alternative to earn incomerdquo
But the NGP has totally changed that attitude ldquo The people in that village have learned to
adopt the concept of the NGP since every farmer who has a piece of land would now want to plant tree
seedlings blend with cash cropsrdquo PENRO Oliveros said ( RPAO 13 )
8 13
NGP licks poverty in Agusan del Sur By Eric Galleo and Christine Selanova
Butuan City-- Barring any complication in about four years from now the members of the of the Aclan River Farmers Cooperative
( ARFAMCO ) in Barangay Aclan Nasipit Agusan del Norte shall be richer by more than P30 million which is the fruits of their labor
under the National Greening Program ( NGP)
But looking back on those years that the mem-
bers have gone through are pictures of gloomy experi-
ences that most of them would always remember the
saga in life that they went through to survive Most
them were dependent from the Nasipit Lumber
Company ( NALCO) and enjoying comforts in life at the
peak of its operation in the 70rsquos But when the
company had ceased its operation due to bankruptcy
they became broke and resorted to illegal logging by
relentlessly cutting trees in plantation areas
maintained by the company It was a season when
poachers have their hey days raking tremendous earn-
ings from illegal activities
The time came when the DENR restricted the
laws on PD 705 and intensified its anti-illegal logging
campaign The idled ndash former workers of NALCO could no longer trade those undocu-
mented logs in the open market as easy as before Hence they resorted to farming
through slash and burn beside illegal logging
There was never a time when the forest plantation maintained by the defunct
NALCO was seriously threatened with wanton destruction than the farmers arming
themselves with axes and sharp boloes to cut the trees for income and burn the soil so
they can plant agricultural crops ldquo Hunger stalked upon us and we need to survive from starvationrdquo Norlito T Saylon President of
the ARFAMCO said ldquo We gained at first attempt but ended up in a situation much worst than the previous years owing to unproductive landsrdquo
Saylon said ldquo We became more poorer desperate and often wanting in needs but we can not do otherwise except resort to illegal cutting to
surviverdquo he added
He said his peers were relieved when they heard of the National Greening Program ( NGP) of President Benigno S Aquino ldquo We were
happy after an extension worker from the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office ( CENRO) in Nasipit Agusan del Norte came
to our community in 2011 and offered us the chance to participate in the NGP program rdquo Saylon said
He said that they have realize then that the NGP program is good because it addresses the specific needs of their group He said there
were several livelihood opportunities available in the past years that were offered by several government agencies but the NGP is better rdquo
Saylon said To Page 18
Poor farmers get richer by P 30 million
from NGP in Aclan Nasipit Agusan del Norte
By Eric Herzon F Gallego
NORLITO T SAYLON
KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN January to June 2014 KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN January to June 2014
The DENR through the Land Management Services has acquired the services of CM ESPARRAGO SURVEYING SERVICES for the cadastral survey project of two municipalities in Surigao del Norte and Surigao City for a contract price of P 5737776 The amount will be spent in the survey of the political boundaries of Surigao City and the municipalities of Sta Monica and Dapa in Surigao del Norte DENR 13 Regional Executive Director Nonito M Tamayo has formalized the deal through the Contract of Agreement ( CoA) he signed with Engr Cristopher M Esparrago in a simple ceremony held the REDrsquos office on February 062014 The signing was also witnessed by the Regional Technical Director for Land Management Services ( LMS) Atty Paquito R Rosal and the Regional Cadastral Survey Projects Coordinator at the DENR-LMS Engr Bernard A Daitol Dapa Surigao del Norte has 140 political boundaries and 47 points along rivers and shorelines Sta Monica Surigao del Norte has 55 estimated political boundaries and 18 points along rivers and shore-lines Surigao City on the other hand has 154 political boundaries and 17 points along rivers and shoreline Under the contract the CM Esparrago Surveying Services shall complete and execute the cadastral survey of political boundaries of the said municipalities and Surigao City in at least one year time
A cadastral survey[1]
or cadastral map is a comprehensive register of the real estate or real propertys metes-and-bounds of a country It commonly includes details of the ownership the tenure the precise location (some include GPS coordinates) the dimensions (and area) the cultivations if rural and the value of individual parcels of land Cadastres are used by many nations around the world
[1] some in con-
junction with other records such as a title register
In most countries legal systems have developed around the original administrative systems and use the cadastre to define the di-mensions and location of land parcels described in legal documentation The cadastre is a fundamental source of data in disputes and lawsuits between landowners
DENR finalizes Master Plan for Agusan River
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources Region 13 Office has hired the
services of the Lichel Technologies Inc for P4950 million to finalize the Master Plan
of the Agusan River Basin (ARB) program
DENR-13 Regional Executive Director Nonito M Tamayo signed the Contract
of Agreement with the Managing Director of the Lichel Technologies Inc Rachel A Vasquez
in a simple ceremony held at the DENR Regional Conference Room in Barangay Ambago Butuan
City on Tuesday (March 18 2014 )
The scope of works as defined in the agreement involve preparations of work and
financial plan an outline of the updated enhanced Agusan River Basin Master Plan generation
of primary data undertake surveys interviews and fieldworks integrate commends and recommen-
dations generated from series of consultations and workshop with provinces cities regional tech-
nical working groups regional development councils indigenous cultural and tribal communities
conduct analysis on the conflicting tenurial claims and mining tenements employ GIS and remote
sensing technology in the analysis of the basinrsquos condition identification of development interven-
tions Bio-physical assessment by sub-basin disaster risk assessment and climate change
vulnerability assessment land use analysis by sub basin specific for flooding flood modelling
using 100 years hydro-meteorological data and re-packaging of the master plan among others
9 12
ldquo The heroic act of PNP personnel and the DENR
personnel at the forefront of the anti-illegal log-
ging campaign is laudable and exceptional for
the DENR top management recognized their
sacrfices and contributions in the campaign rdquo he
said
ldquo Incidents of Illegal logging in Caraga
region are steadily going down owing to the inten-
sive police and military campaign which prompt
timber poacher and smugglers to pause and think
twice with their illegal activities rdquo Director
Tamayo said
During the occasion the DENR gave
certificates of recognition and P 100000 cash
incentive each to PO2 Arwin F Dela Cruz PO1
Sherwin Clyde M Castrodes PO1 Alejandro M
Intas of the 1st Company Regional Police Securi-
ty Batallion They were with the team of DENR
personnel trying to retrieve several pieces of ille-
gal logs in Barobo Surigao del Sur recently when
DENR seeks police assistance in monitoring of
closed vans with illegal forest products
KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN
The Police and the Philippine Army have been asked to tighten its monitoring
on the closed vans and trucks that are traversing the major highways to Davao fol-
lowing reports that they are carrying lumber products of banned species
ldquo Wersquove been informed that timber poachers are processing illegally-cut logs
of banned species a into small pieces materials from a secluded area which are then
placed on closed vans before they are transported to a plywood processing plants in
Davao City Cebu and Manila for plywood materialsrdquo Regional Director Nonito M
Tamayo said
At present all the wood processing plants in cities of Butuan and Cagayan de
Oro are using falcata gubas or acacia mangium species for their plywood production
because of the prevailing ban on cutting of hardwoods by virtue of Executive Order
No 23
Reports said however that some plywood plant operators in some areas of Mindanao are buying these illegal products from
unscrupulous poachers ldquoWe are finding difficulty in monitoring the movement of these undocumented forest products after they are
put on sealed vans ldquo Tamayo said
FROM PAGE 6 hellip DENR Commends PNP-13
DENR conducts survey of political boundaries in Surigao City Dapa and Sta Monica in Surgao del Norte
Butuan City ndash A worker a mining area in Tubay Agusan del Norte rescued a juvenile Frigate bird in March 2014 and
turn it over to the DENR authorities ldquo The bird appeared to be exhausted and trying to regain its strength from
a long flight ldquo Roed Nakila a mining worker said
ldquo We thought it was dead but when we got near the bird is struggling so we took it to our shelter ldquo he said
ldquoItrsquos was the first time I saw that kind of bird ldquo Nakila said adding he was tempted on keeping it as pet
The juvenile frigate bird measures 94 centimeters with a wingspan of 198 centimeters It weighs about 500
grams The Frigate birds are a family of seabirds also known as frigate pelicans It can be found breeding along the
Pacific coast of Costa Rica particularly at the Corcovado National Park An adult Frigate birds measures 1 meter long
with a 215 meter wingspan The males have a red pouch that is inflated during the breeding season to attract a mate
Females are black but have a white breast and lower neck sides a brown band on the wings and a blue eye ring
They lack the ability to take off from water so they snatch prey from the ocean surface or beach using their long hooked bills Frigate birds are
seasonally monogamous which means they only mate with one female per season
Frigate birds are not classified as an endangered species but populations appear to be declining mainly due to human destruction of habitat for housing
and resorts and disturbance in colonies Introducing predators on islands and over-fishing are also potential problems They spend days and nights on the air with
an average ground speed of 10 kmhour covering 223 km before landing
DENR -13 Protected Area and Wildlife has declared the juvenile Frigate to be in good condition after it was examined at the Regional Animal Disease
Diagnostic Lab at Barangay Taguibo Butuan City ( EFG)
Mining worker saves a juvenile Frigate bird
January to June 2014 January to June 2014
The employees of the DENR Region 13 have successfully con-
cluded the Environment Month Celebration on Monday with the
call of readiness in the face of the Global Climate Change amid
funs and games and talent competition held at the DENR 13 Cov-
ered Court in Barangay Ambago Butuan City on June 30 2014
28 individuals including seven companies and local gov-
ernment units were given Certificates of Recognition as ldquo Envi-
ronmental Heroesrdquo for their untainted support to the programs of
the DENR in particular the Anti- Illegal Logging Campaign and
the National Greening Program (NGP)
ldquo I wish to thank all those individuals companies local government units the Philippine National Police and the Philippine
Army under the 4th Infantry Division who help in pursuing the goals and programs of the DENR with the objective of uplifting the living condition of the people in
the uplands and remote mountain villagesrsquo Regional Director Nonito M Tamayo said in his remarks at the culmination program
Amidst the celebration however Director Tamayo reminded the people to take extra careful of the danger pose by the rising sea level owing to intense ef-
fect of Global Warming that also triggers Global Climate Change
Although it was not his intention to spoil the party Director Tamayo nevertheless reminded the audience about the recent disaster in provinces of Leyte Sa-
mar and other provinces in the Eastern Visayas hit by Typhoon Yolanda in November 8 last year which claimed hundreds of human lives and destroyed billion of
pesos worth of infrastructure agriculture schools buildings and houses could happen again in the days ahead ldquo This is the new normal disaster where you can see
storm surges caused by strong typhoonsrdquo Tamayo said
ldquo It would be best for all of us particularly those people living along the coastal areas to be ready and prepared all the time since our guarantee of our safety is
uncertain in the face of the climate changerdquo he said
January to June 2014 January to June 2014 KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN 10 11
ldquo When you see a standing tree ponder on the crucial role it plays in carbon dioxide sequestrationrdquo by
DENR 13 Regional Director Nonito M Tamayo said on the opening salvo of the Environment Month celebration
ldquo Trees provide a very important role in carbon dioxide sequestration the so -called major factor in the
global warming of the earth ldquo he said as the DENR employees prepares to hold a motorcade on Thursday June 5
from Butuan City to Calac-an Magallanes Agusan del Norte to drumbeat the World Environment Day with the
theme ldquo Raise your voice not the sea levelrdquo The partici-
pants in motorcade have planted mangrove at the
shorelines of Magallanes on that day
Director Tamayo said folk in the hinterlands often
see the trees as source of livelihood when they cut and sell
them to the wood processing plants for money to survive ldquo
But little did they know that the trees play a crucial
role in removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere
through the natural process of photosynthesis and store the
carbon in their leaves branches stems barks and rootsrdquo
Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a natural greenhouse gas
in the atmosphere partly responsible for the earthrsquos
relatively stable climate It is a lsquogreenhousersquo gas because it
traps heat near the earth surface contributing to [observed
and predicted] global warming
He said human activities especially the burning of
fossil fuels such as coals and oil and destruction of natural
forest are greatly increasing the level of Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere Based on scientist findings the
level of CO2 in the atmosphere has increased last century from 284 parts per million in 1832 to about 387
parts per million in 2009 Other gases that have much greater warming impact than carbon dioxide are
methane and nitrous oxide
Tamayo said the DENR has been issuing various warnings in the past that the Philippines is likely to
experience more extreme weather patterns with higher average temperatures possibly long heatwaves and
minimal rainfall if the Greenhouse Effect proceeds as predicted
He said the trees have good uses in arresting Carbon dioxide emissions and therefore the people
should be encouraged to increase the area of forest and tree plantations ldquo Natural and planted forest act as
sink for absorbing CO2 from the atmosphererdquo Director Tamayo said
Director Tamayo said the people should support the National Greening Program (NGP) being implemented through the DENR The program seeks to plant
15 billion seedlings in 15 million hectares of timberlands nationwide from 2011 to 2016
He cited an Australian Greenhouse Office report that ldquo trees in forest ( including plantations) if well-stocked typically sequester carbon at a maximum
rate between about age 10 and age 20-30 As an indication the report says that at age 30 years about 200 to 520 tonnes Carbon dioxide equivalent are sequestered
per hectare in the forestrdquo
ldquo After this age if the trees are not harvested the report says ldquo the sequestration rate slows gradually until maturity of about 80 to 100 years of age and
flattens out from then on as growth is balanced by decayrdquo
Director Tamayo said the people therefore is encouraged to support the reforestation program of the government through the NGP
He said that based on scientific findings ldquo reforesting cleared areas will create carbon sinks to counteract greenhouse gas emissions and will assist in other aspects of
environmental improvement such as salinity control and creation of wildlife habitatrdquo
Bitaog The Philippine Centennial Tree
ldquo When you see a standing tree think about its crucial role rdquo The 2014 Environment Month celebration
Laro ng Lahi RPAO Chief Eric Gallego The contestant
PENRO Obet Oliveros CENRO Luis Gonzaga
Atty Jun Nistal Chief Legal PENROs Zaldy Perater and Rosendo Asunto
The DENR through the Land Management Services has acquired the services of CM ESPARRAGO SURVEYING SERVICES for the cadastral survey project of two municipalities in Surigao del Norte and Surigao City for a contract price of P 5737776 The amount will be spent in the survey of the political boundaries of Surigao City and the municipalities of Sta Monica and Dapa in Surigao del Norte DENR 13 Regional Executive Director Nonito M Tamayo has formalized the deal through the Contract of Agreement ( CoA) he signed with Engr Cristopher M Esparrago in a simple ceremony held the REDrsquos office on February 062014 The signing was also witnessed by the Regional Technical Director for Land Management Services ( LMS) Atty Paquito R Rosal and the Regional Cadastral Survey Projects Coordinator at the DENR-LMS Engr Bernard A Daitol Dapa Surigao del Norte has 140 political boundaries and 47 points along rivers and shorelines Sta Monica Surigao del Norte has 55 estimated political boundaries and 18 points along rivers and shore-lines Surigao City on the other hand has 154 political boundaries and 17 points along rivers and shoreline Under the contract the CM Esparrago Surveying Services shall complete and execute the cadastral survey of political boundaries of the said municipalities and Surigao City in at least one year time
A cadastral survey[1]
or cadastral map is a comprehensive register of the real estate or real propertys metes-and-bounds of a country It commonly includes details of the ownership the tenure the precise location (some include GPS coordinates) the dimensions (and area) the cultivations if rural and the value of individual parcels of land Cadastres are used by many nations around the world
[1] some in con-
junction with other records such as a title register
In most countries legal systems have developed around the original administrative systems and use the cadastre to define the di-mensions and location of land parcels described in legal documentation The cadastre is a fundamental source of data in disputes and lawsuits between landowners
DENR finalizes Master Plan for Agusan River
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources Region 13 Office has hired the
services of the Lichel Technologies Inc for P4950 million to finalize the Master Plan
of the Agusan River Basin (ARB) program
DENR-13 Regional Executive Director Nonito M Tamayo signed the Contract
of Agreement with the Managing Director of the Lichel Technologies Inc Rachel A Vasquez
in a simple ceremony held at the DENR Regional Conference Room in Barangay Ambago Butuan
City on Tuesday (March 18 2014 )
The scope of works as defined in the agreement involve preparations of work and
financial plan an outline of the updated enhanced Agusan River Basin Master Plan generation
of primary data undertake surveys interviews and fieldworks integrate commends and recommen-
dations generated from series of consultations and workshop with provinces cities regional tech-
nical working groups regional development councils indigenous cultural and tribal communities
conduct analysis on the conflicting tenurial claims and mining tenements employ GIS and remote
sensing technology in the analysis of the basinrsquos condition identification of development interven-
tions Bio-physical assessment by sub-basin disaster risk assessment and climate change
vulnerability assessment land use analysis by sub basin specific for flooding flood modelling
using 100 years hydro-meteorological data and re-packaging of the master plan among others
9 12
ldquo The heroic act of PNP personnel and the DENR
personnel at the forefront of the anti-illegal log-
ging campaign is laudable and exceptional for
the DENR top management recognized their
sacrfices and contributions in the campaign rdquo he
said
ldquo Incidents of Illegal logging in Caraga
region are steadily going down owing to the inten-
sive police and military campaign which prompt
timber poacher and smugglers to pause and think
twice with their illegal activities rdquo Director
Tamayo said
During the occasion the DENR gave
certificates of recognition and P 100000 cash
incentive each to PO2 Arwin F Dela Cruz PO1
Sherwin Clyde M Castrodes PO1 Alejandro M
Intas of the 1st Company Regional Police Securi-
ty Batallion They were with the team of DENR
personnel trying to retrieve several pieces of ille-
gal logs in Barobo Surigao del Sur recently when
DENR seeks police assistance in monitoring of
closed vans with illegal forest products
KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN
The Police and the Philippine Army have been asked to tighten its monitoring
on the closed vans and trucks that are traversing the major highways to Davao fol-
lowing reports that they are carrying lumber products of banned species
ldquo Wersquove been informed that timber poachers are processing illegally-cut logs
of banned species a into small pieces materials from a secluded area which are then
placed on closed vans before they are transported to a plywood processing plants in
Davao City Cebu and Manila for plywood materialsrdquo Regional Director Nonito M
Tamayo said
At present all the wood processing plants in cities of Butuan and Cagayan de
Oro are using falcata gubas or acacia mangium species for their plywood production
because of the prevailing ban on cutting of hardwoods by virtue of Executive Order
No 23
Reports said however that some plywood plant operators in some areas of Mindanao are buying these illegal products from
unscrupulous poachers ldquoWe are finding difficulty in monitoring the movement of these undocumented forest products after they are
put on sealed vans ldquo Tamayo said
FROM PAGE 6 hellip DENR Commends PNP-13
DENR conducts survey of political boundaries in Surigao City Dapa and Sta Monica in Surgao del Norte
Butuan City ndash A worker a mining area in Tubay Agusan del Norte rescued a juvenile Frigate bird in March 2014 and
turn it over to the DENR authorities ldquo The bird appeared to be exhausted and trying to regain its strength from
a long flight ldquo Roed Nakila a mining worker said
ldquo We thought it was dead but when we got near the bird is struggling so we took it to our shelter ldquo he said
ldquoItrsquos was the first time I saw that kind of bird ldquo Nakila said adding he was tempted on keeping it as pet
The juvenile frigate bird measures 94 centimeters with a wingspan of 198 centimeters It weighs about 500
grams The Frigate birds are a family of seabirds also known as frigate pelicans It can be found breeding along the
Pacific coast of Costa Rica particularly at the Corcovado National Park An adult Frigate birds measures 1 meter long
with a 215 meter wingspan The males have a red pouch that is inflated during the breeding season to attract a mate
Females are black but have a white breast and lower neck sides a brown band on the wings and a blue eye ring
They lack the ability to take off from water so they snatch prey from the ocean surface or beach using their long hooked bills Frigate birds are
seasonally monogamous which means they only mate with one female per season
Frigate birds are not classified as an endangered species but populations appear to be declining mainly due to human destruction of habitat for housing
and resorts and disturbance in colonies Introducing predators on islands and over-fishing are also potential problems They spend days and nights on the air with
an average ground speed of 10 kmhour covering 223 km before landing
DENR -13 Protected Area and Wildlife has declared the juvenile Frigate to be in good condition after it was examined at the Regional Animal Disease
Diagnostic Lab at Barangay Taguibo Butuan City ( EFG)
Mining worker saves a juvenile Frigate bird
January to June 2014 January to June 2014
The employees of the DENR Region 13 have successfully con-
cluded the Environment Month Celebration on Monday with the
call of readiness in the face of the Global Climate Change amid
funs and games and talent competition held at the DENR 13 Cov-
ered Court in Barangay Ambago Butuan City on June 30 2014
28 individuals including seven companies and local gov-
ernment units were given Certificates of Recognition as ldquo Envi-
ronmental Heroesrdquo for their untainted support to the programs of
the DENR in particular the Anti- Illegal Logging Campaign and
the National Greening Program (NGP)
ldquo I wish to thank all those individuals companies local government units the Philippine National Police and the Philippine
Army under the 4th Infantry Division who help in pursuing the goals and programs of the DENR with the objective of uplifting the living condition of the people in
the uplands and remote mountain villagesrsquo Regional Director Nonito M Tamayo said in his remarks at the culmination program
Amidst the celebration however Director Tamayo reminded the people to take extra careful of the danger pose by the rising sea level owing to intense ef-
fect of Global Warming that also triggers Global Climate Change
Although it was not his intention to spoil the party Director Tamayo nevertheless reminded the audience about the recent disaster in provinces of Leyte Sa-
mar and other provinces in the Eastern Visayas hit by Typhoon Yolanda in November 8 last year which claimed hundreds of human lives and destroyed billion of
pesos worth of infrastructure agriculture schools buildings and houses could happen again in the days ahead ldquo This is the new normal disaster where you can see
storm surges caused by strong typhoonsrdquo Tamayo said
ldquo It would be best for all of us particularly those people living along the coastal areas to be ready and prepared all the time since our guarantee of our safety is
uncertain in the face of the climate changerdquo he said
January to June 2014 January to June 2014 KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN 10 11
ldquo When you see a standing tree ponder on the crucial role it plays in carbon dioxide sequestrationrdquo by
DENR 13 Regional Director Nonito M Tamayo said on the opening salvo of the Environment Month celebration
ldquo Trees provide a very important role in carbon dioxide sequestration the so -called major factor in the
global warming of the earth ldquo he said as the DENR employees prepares to hold a motorcade on Thursday June 5
from Butuan City to Calac-an Magallanes Agusan del Norte to drumbeat the World Environment Day with the
theme ldquo Raise your voice not the sea levelrdquo The partici-
pants in motorcade have planted mangrove at the
shorelines of Magallanes on that day
Director Tamayo said folk in the hinterlands often
see the trees as source of livelihood when they cut and sell
them to the wood processing plants for money to survive ldquo
But little did they know that the trees play a crucial
role in removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere
through the natural process of photosynthesis and store the
carbon in their leaves branches stems barks and rootsrdquo
Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a natural greenhouse gas
in the atmosphere partly responsible for the earthrsquos
relatively stable climate It is a lsquogreenhousersquo gas because it
traps heat near the earth surface contributing to [observed
and predicted] global warming
He said human activities especially the burning of
fossil fuels such as coals and oil and destruction of natural
forest are greatly increasing the level of Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere Based on scientist findings the
level of CO2 in the atmosphere has increased last century from 284 parts per million in 1832 to about 387
parts per million in 2009 Other gases that have much greater warming impact than carbon dioxide are
methane and nitrous oxide
Tamayo said the DENR has been issuing various warnings in the past that the Philippines is likely to
experience more extreme weather patterns with higher average temperatures possibly long heatwaves and
minimal rainfall if the Greenhouse Effect proceeds as predicted
He said the trees have good uses in arresting Carbon dioxide emissions and therefore the people
should be encouraged to increase the area of forest and tree plantations ldquo Natural and planted forest act as
sink for absorbing CO2 from the atmosphererdquo Director Tamayo said
Director Tamayo said the people should support the National Greening Program (NGP) being implemented through the DENR The program seeks to plant
15 billion seedlings in 15 million hectares of timberlands nationwide from 2011 to 2016
He cited an Australian Greenhouse Office report that ldquo trees in forest ( including plantations) if well-stocked typically sequester carbon at a maximum
rate between about age 10 and age 20-30 As an indication the report says that at age 30 years about 200 to 520 tonnes Carbon dioxide equivalent are sequestered
per hectare in the forestrdquo
ldquo After this age if the trees are not harvested the report says ldquo the sequestration rate slows gradually until maturity of about 80 to 100 years of age and
flattens out from then on as growth is balanced by decayrdquo
Director Tamayo said the people therefore is encouraged to support the reforestation program of the government through the NGP
He said that based on scientific findings ldquo reforesting cleared areas will create carbon sinks to counteract greenhouse gas emissions and will assist in other aspects of
environmental improvement such as salinity control and creation of wildlife habitatrdquo
Bitaog The Philippine Centennial Tree
ldquo When you see a standing tree think about its crucial role rdquo The 2014 Environment Month celebration
Laro ng Lahi RPAO Chief Eric Gallego The contestant
PENRO Obet Oliveros CENRO Luis Gonzaga
Atty Jun Nistal Chief Legal PENROs Zaldy Perater and Rosendo Asunto
The employees of the DENR Region 13 have successfully con-
cluded the Environment Month Celebration on Monday with the
call of readiness in the face of the Global Climate Change amid
funs and games and talent competition held at the DENR 13 Cov-
ered Court in Barangay Ambago Butuan City on June 30 2014
28 individuals including seven companies and local gov-
ernment units were given Certificates of Recognition as ldquo Envi-
ronmental Heroesrdquo for their untainted support to the programs of
the DENR in particular the Anti- Illegal Logging Campaign and
the National Greening Program (NGP)
ldquo I wish to thank all those individuals companies local government units the Philippine National Police and the Philippine
Army under the 4th Infantry Division who help in pursuing the goals and programs of the DENR with the objective of uplifting the living condition of the people in
the uplands and remote mountain villagesrsquo Regional Director Nonito M Tamayo said in his remarks at the culmination program
Amidst the celebration however Director Tamayo reminded the people to take extra careful of the danger pose by the rising sea level owing to intense ef-
fect of Global Warming that also triggers Global Climate Change
Although it was not his intention to spoil the party Director Tamayo nevertheless reminded the audience about the recent disaster in provinces of Leyte Sa-
mar and other provinces in the Eastern Visayas hit by Typhoon Yolanda in November 8 last year which claimed hundreds of human lives and destroyed billion of
pesos worth of infrastructure agriculture schools buildings and houses could happen again in the days ahead ldquo This is the new normal disaster where you can see
storm surges caused by strong typhoonsrdquo Tamayo said
ldquo It would be best for all of us particularly those people living along the coastal areas to be ready and prepared all the time since our guarantee of our safety is
uncertain in the face of the climate changerdquo he said
January to June 2014 January to June 2014 KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN KASIKAS SA KINAIYAHAN 10 11
ldquo When you see a standing tree ponder on the crucial role it plays in carbon dioxide sequestrationrdquo by
DENR 13 Regional Director Nonito M Tamayo said on the opening salvo of the Environment Month celebration
ldquo Trees provide a very important role in carbon dioxide sequestration the so -called major factor in the
global warming of the earth ldquo he said as the DENR employees prepares to hold a motorcade on Thursday June 5
from Butuan City to Calac-an Magallanes Agusan del Norte to drumbeat the World Environment Day with the
theme ldquo Raise your voice not the sea levelrdquo The partici-
pants in motorcade have planted mangrove at the
shorelines of Magallanes on that day
Director Tamayo said folk in the hinterlands often
see the trees as source of livelihood when they cut and sell
them to the wood processing plants for money to survive ldquo
But little did they know that the trees play a crucial
role in removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere
through the natural process of photosynthesis and store the
carbon in their leaves branches stems barks and rootsrdquo
Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a natural greenhouse gas
in the atmosphere partly responsible for the earthrsquos
relatively stable climate It is a lsquogreenhousersquo gas because it
traps heat near the earth surface contributing to [observed
and predicted] global warming
He said human activities especially the burning of
fossil fuels such as coals and oil and destruction of natural
forest are greatly increasing the level of Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere Based on scientist findings the
level of CO2 in the atmosphere has increased last century from 284 parts per million in 1832 to about 387
parts per million in 2009 Other gases that have much greater warming impact than carbon dioxide are
methane and nitrous oxide
Tamayo said the DENR has been issuing various warnings in the past that the Philippines is likely to
experience more extreme weather patterns with higher average temperatures possibly long heatwaves and
minimal rainfall if the Greenhouse Effect proceeds as predicted
He said the trees have good uses in arresting Carbon dioxide emissions and therefore the people
should be encouraged to increase the area of forest and tree plantations ldquo Natural and planted forest act as
sink for absorbing CO2 from the atmosphererdquo Director Tamayo said
Director Tamayo said the people should support the National Greening Program (NGP) being implemented through the DENR The program seeks to plant
15 billion seedlings in 15 million hectares of timberlands nationwide from 2011 to 2016
He cited an Australian Greenhouse Office report that ldquo trees in forest ( including plantations) if well-stocked typically sequester carbon at a maximum
rate between about age 10 and age 20-30 As an indication the report says that at age 30 years about 200 to 520 tonnes Carbon dioxide equivalent are sequestered
per hectare in the forestrdquo
ldquo After this age if the trees are not harvested the report says ldquo the sequestration rate slows gradually until maturity of about 80 to 100 years of age and
flattens out from then on as growth is balanced by decayrdquo
Director Tamayo said the people therefore is encouraged to support the reforestation program of the government through the NGP
He said that based on scientific findings ldquo reforesting cleared areas will create carbon sinks to counteract greenhouse gas emissions and will assist in other aspects of
environmental improvement such as salinity control and creation of wildlife habitatrdquo
Bitaog The Philippine Centennial Tree
ldquo When you see a standing tree think about its crucial role rdquo The 2014 Environment Month celebration
Laro ng Lahi RPAO Chief Eric Gallego The contestant
PENRO Obet Oliveros CENRO Luis Gonzaga
Atty Jun Nistal Chief Legal PENROs Zaldy Perater and Rosendo Asunto