Print
 
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in Cagayan Valley will strengthen its partnership with other government agencies, local government units (LGUs) and academe for a more effective project management.
 
In a recent meeting with the regional implementers of the Forestland Management Project (FMP), Regional Executive Director Gwendolyn C. Bambalan has ordered stronger networking to sustain the livelihood enterprises provided to people’s organizations (POs) even after the completion of the project in 2022.
 
“Let us not operate as DENR alone. We should open our doors for collaboration and partnership,” Director Bambalan said as she instructed Assistant Regional Director Marcos G. Dacanay and FMP regional focal person Edmund S. Malupeng to coordinate with the Department of Science and Technology and the Department of Trade and Industry. “These agencies may provide assistance and funding for technology development, product packaging and marketing,” she said.
 
FMP has provided 45 enterprise development projects to partner POs. The livelihood projects include: farm implements and agricultural supply trading; bamboo furniture and craft making and marketing; pandan leaves weaving and bayong making and trading; and organic fertilizer production and trading, among others.
 
To intensify forest conservation and to contribute to disaster risk mitigation efforts in vulnerable areas, 25,378 hectares of agroforestry plantations were established under FMP. Five agroforestry support facilities that include farm-to-market roads, bridges, tire paths and irrigation pipeline system have been established. These facilities were turned over to the LGUs and partner POs through tripartite memorandums of agreement for their operation and maintenance.
 
The FMP is a 10-year partnership agreement between the Japan International Cooperation Agency and the Philippine Government that aims to strengthen forestland management in critical river basins through the implementation of collaborative and comprehensive community-based forest management strategies.
 
In Region 2, the project is implemented within the 88,094 hectares sub-watersheds of Upper Magat and Cagayan River Basin, namely: Bukig, Lower Matuno, Upper Matuno, Sta. Cruz-Cabanglasan, Benay, Dupax and Manga in Nueva Vizcaya; and Ganano in Quirino Province.#