By Anthony A. Araos
Tourism is still a struggling industry in Lagawe, although the potential is clearly there. Mountain trails are just as worth seeing as the churches, caves and rivers.
Escape to Lagawe and bash in the town’s natural beauty in comfort and safety when exploring the upland terrain of far-flung villages.
Foreign visitors, mostly from Europe, are drawn to mountain sites due to their commitment to sustainability and integration with nature.
Shall I bring down the optimism for tourist arrivals in the face of depravities which trekkers and other visitors have been forced to witness in recent times. The percentage of forest cover is dwindling fast. Are we going to allow this to go on forever?
Kaingin (slash and burn farming) is illegal. The law obviously explains its prohibition. Yet, uneducated Ifugao folks continue to find excuses and alibis for engaging in such practice. This has a chilling effect on the environment, potentially discouraging young educated folks from supporting the government’s agenda, and thus, derailing years of reforestation program progress.
Creating positive impact on environmental protection is behind the purpose of this commentary on Lagawe’s watershed areas. No more, no less!
Overall situation in watersheds is worth examining.
Bold mountains are no longer uncommon. Destruction was deliberate and violators were determined.
Massive amount of cutting of trees at watersheds indicate there are many communities in Lagawe are prone to geological hazards, which elucidates its “high” to “very high” susceptibility to landslides.
Trees absorb excess rainwater. The perils of floods and landslides are real. Indeed, there is a high price to pay for cutting these trees. The broad purpose of planting trees is something that I feel very strongly about.
The accessibility of the town proper as well as remote barangays due to landslide during the rainy season proved ever challenging to the private and public sector. I even had to go the extra mile in stressing the fact that Lagawe is in dire need for forest rangers to oversee the protection of watersheds.
This time we can easily see what’s happening over these endangered watersheds. And all the signs point in one terrifying direction. The callous indifference to destruction of watersheds when it was occurring, and the desires to have it fade in the minds of the people is what we might expect from those who refuse to acknowledge its existence. Believe it or not, many chose to stay on the sidelines.
It’s high time to instill in the public’s mind awareness on the importance of watersheds, especially with the dangers posed by climate change. We must intensify efforts to mitigate and adapt to the challenges of climate change and urgently abate vulnerability to disasters. If the problem persists, it should be that the people suffer even more and more, such as killer landslides and mudslides.
We still have a very long way to go before we restore watersheds to their pristine condition. The town’s Sangguniang Bayan should aim to do the least one thing today that support environmental protection. Good thing, Councilor-elect Jansen Roldan, an environmentalist, is around. He has a broader look at the problem. He said the municipal government can never address it without declaring these areas as watersheds. And by this, he means, providing mechanisms and funds thereof, for protection. That in itself is the goal SB members should all be united for. I hope the SB can act on that.
For my part, here’s some recommendations for Councilor-elect Roldan: Think about conducting tree-planting activities, at Barangay Tungngod or Barangay Poblacion South watershed to reforest and protect rainforests and major sources of water supply, at the same time, safeguarding wildlife habitat. Additionally, protection of biodiversity and landscape, water management and pollution abatement should be actively pursued. Having said so, the way we are encouraging meaningful community re-greening initiatives will always be in accord with this advocacy. Inevitably, to work hand-in-hand with well-meaning lawmakers like Roldan to deliver the promise of saving watersheds is honorable. Be of good courage, let’s get the ball rolling!**
