Let the grass grow

LETTERS FROM THE AGNO

March Fianza

 It is not the summit of the first “second” highest mountain peak in the country that officials of the Dept. of Environment and Natural Resources along with Benguet Rep. Ronald M. Cosalan wish to physically reach. Instead, they are aspiring for a summit conference.

This, after a series of informal talks was held since December last year in an attempt to arrest the problem of protecting what remains of the endangered vegetation cover of the Ibaloy sacred mountain.

 I know this as the first conference that will digest several issues about Mount Pulag that will be attended by LGU representatives, legal minds, foresters, DENR and NCIP officials because nothing like this was ever organized before. It is expected to come up with a MOA that will finally peg what are necessary in preserving the mountain that straddles the tri-boundary of Nueva Viscaya, Ifugao and Benguet. Mount Pulag is host to three types of forest ecosystems namely Dipterocarp Forest, Mossy Forest and Pine Forest that have been inhabited, protected and preserved by indigenous cultures.

 But it is better late than never. When Baguio Chronicle editor Sly Quintos came down from Mount Pulag last month, he sent me a text message that the grass cover of the designated campsite for climbers has practically turned into dust. In other words the vegetation has been crushed or trampled on.

It is not the IPs around the mountain that destroyed the campsite vegetation, but the hundreds of climbers that were allowed to enter the park with no let up. With that information, I thought it would be best to put a moratorium on mountain climbers and let the grass grow back. Tourism does not always mean money because it destroys things that may not repaired easily. There is a serious need to study Mount Pulag from many angles.

 In a meeting last week, Kabayan Mayor Faustino Aquisan asked that they first discuss the issues besetting Mount Pulag National Park before drafting a MOA to which DENR legal officer Renato Bestre agreed. DENR RED Paquito Moreno Jr. had earlier requested Atty. Bestre to lead in drafting an initial draft MOA.

 Meanwhile, Benguet Environment Officer Julius Kollin agreed that delineation of the actual area of MPNP should first be finished as suggested by Cong. Cosalan. An actual ground survey of the metes and bounds of the park started last year with at least P4.5 M that was allocated by Cosalan but the DENR stopped survey works for unknown reasons. What is worst is the information that some of the money that was not spent for the survey of the mountain reverted to the national treasury.

 Tawangan Punong Barangay Orlando Molitas who came with Mayor Aquisan has put stress on the problem of delineation. He said Tawangan residents have become more confused when they were told that their barangay is now within Mount Pulag after this was declared a national park by President Cory in 1987.

 Lusod Kapitan Sandy Wais meanwhile said that while they were in favor delineating the boundaries, he confirmed that no consultation was held by the concerned government agencies prior to survey activities.

Apparently, this emboldened residents adjacent to the park to expand their occupation, particularly their vegetable garden areas. This prompted Cong. Cosalan to ask LGU officials to tell their constituents to stop advancing their garden improvements, but giving them assurance that they will not be displaced or removed. He said they cannot prevent the communities around the park from developing but “they should stop expanding.”

 Protecting Mount Pulag has become a ticklish problem that has pulled sectors to participate. Aside from illegally operated vegetable gardens, it has been in the news that enterprising businessmen have begun exploring the lower parts of the mountain for gold. Cong. Cosalan readily cautioned the Mines and Geo-Sciences Bureau to refrain from approving any mining activities around the area in order not to complicate the problem prior to the approval of the Minahang Bayan law.

 In that meeting, the lawyers were asked to file the corresponding cases against the violators. But Atty. Cleo Sabado-Andrada of the DENR clarified that in the filing of cases, they have the documentary evidence but witnesses are not available because they are afraid to come forward.

 A sceptic friend asked me: Are the witnesses being bought that is why they are “afraid” to become witnesses? When I inquired why he asked that question, he explained that the vegetable industry is a multi-million business so that those involved are able to pay the best lawyers. “They are even more organized because they have men in the field and maybe even in the law enforcement team who can tip off an incoming illegal logging operation by the authorities.”

 Pray that the agencies that are mandated to protect the mountain are not under the control of the rich vegetable operators. Such are the challenges facing a summit conference scheduled in the middle of May.  

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Attention EMB and MGB: Multi-awardee stone carver artist Gilbert Gano who resides at Twin Peaks forwarded to me a text message last week. It said: “haan maawatan ti angut Bued River.” His attention was caught saying that “waste and garbage from Green Valley, Bakakeng, Campo Sioco, Military Cut-off, Campo Sioco, Loacan, Kias, BGH, Camp 8, Camp 7 and Camp 6 have been continuously flowing down the river. “Mailalaok ijay waste agapu mining and quarrying along Bued River. Awan meten ti maaramidan gobyerno.”