Beneficiaries of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) have been enlisted as partners of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in planting bamboos along riverbanks in Cagayan province.

 

The 100 individuals under the Tulong Panghanapbuhay para sa ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) Program of the DOLE will be mobilized by the DENR in identified priority sites for riverbank stabilization particularly in Tuguegarao City and the towns of Alcala, Gattaran and Enrile.

 

Earlier today, DENR Regional Executive Director Gwendolyn Bambalan, DOLE Regional Director Evelyn Ramos, City Mayor Jefferson Soriano and Assistant Regional Director Lucia Alan of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) led the planting of bamboos along riverbanks in Barangays Cataggaman Viejo and Larion Alto in Tuguegarao City.

A memorandum of agreement on the joint activity was signed which marked the celebration of the 21st charter anniversary of Tuguegarao City.

 

Director Bambalan said the riverbank stabilization thru planting of bamboos and other suitable species within the easement areas of Cagayan River and its tributaries is just one of the interventions proposed under the Build Back Better Program pursuant to Executive Order No. 120.

 

“Ang mga ahensiya ng pamahalaan ay nagtutulungan ngayon upang mapanumbalik ang Cagayan River at ang Cagayan Valley,” the regional environment chief said.

 

She urged the residents and the TUPAD beneficiaries to protect the bamboos. “Alagaan nating mabuti ang mga kawayan dahil hindi lang po ito panangga sa baha kundi para sa pagkain at pangkabuhayan,” Director Bambalan added.

 

For his part, City Mayor Soriano thanked the national agencies as he committed support to the Cagayan River rehabilitation. He said the activity also marked the launch of the “One Million Trees of Tuguegarao Project” by the city government. “For this project, we will be planting bamboos and natives species,” he said.

 

Directors Ramos and Alan assured their commitment in the government’s post disaster recovery and rehabilitation efforts.

As the lead agency in the activity, the DENR identified families living within or adjacent to the easement areas of Cagayan River and its tributaries displaced workers to initiate planting activity and maintenance. It will provide the bamboo seedlings for planting along the Cagayan River and its tributaries. The Department will also capacitate the local government unit (LGU) in the implementation of sustainable environment and natural resource management interventions within the Cagayan River.

The DOLE will provide financial assistance in a form of daily subsidy to the selected planters for 14 days.

 

The DSWD will provide financial assistance through food packs to the planters for protection and rehabilitation of Cagayan River. It will also allocate funds for necessary and urgent projects within the Cagayan River under its Risk Resiliency Program–Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation.

 

The city government is tasked to provide technical, financial and legislative support to the initiatives. It will also take charge of clearing of obstructions such as illegal encroachments within the Cagayan River and within the river easements with the assistance of concerned agencies.

 

The barangay LGU will conduct periodic maintenance and protection activities of planted seedlings along the Cagayan River and submit report to the nearest Commmunity Environment and Natural Resources Office of any disturbance and the need for replanting.

 

DENR Assistant Regional Director Marcos Dacanay, Mines and Geosciences Bureau Regional Director Mario Ancheta, Environmental Management Bureau Regional Director Virgilio Edralin Licuan, PENR Officer Ismael Manaligod, CENR Officer Rolando Siggayo, Cataggaman Viejo Barangay Captain Cesario Pasicolan Jr., Larion Alto Barangay Captain Apolonio Abraham, members of the Philippine National Police and other DENR personnel also joined the activity.

 

The planting in Alcala, Gattaran and Enrile will be held on December 19.

 

In a related development, another 50 TUPAD beneficiaries were tapped for the cleaning and greening of the Regional Government Center in support of the Solid Waste Management Program through the “Pamaskong Handog ng DOLE at DENR sa Inang Kalikasan.”#