By Anthony A. Araos
Travel is an essential component of business. In short, tourism is an integral part of economic development.
Stakeholders in the tourism industry are doing their fair share in nation-building with their programs, projects and activities in any part of Ifugao and the entire Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).
All told, the tourism industry of Ifugao is in a dismal state. The province is drawing a handful of tourists. It can’t be “business as usual” for those in charge of bringing local and foreign visitors in significant numbers. Consequently, there is a need to map out a new tourism master plan. Incoming provincial government officials should not make a fool of themselves by adopting the “old” mindset of operating the tourism office.
The next 23 days or three weeks will all be about scrutinizing the candidates’ records and choosing the most qualified for the job of promoting the best interest of the widest majority of the Ifugao populace.
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Given present trends in environment protection, the SN Aboitiz Power Group (SNAP) is continuously supporting the call in protecting watershed areas in Ifugao a top priority.
Particularly, in Lagawe SN Aboitiz registered remarkable success in raising the people’s environmental awareness. Last March, it conducted a successful project at Mt. Binahagan.
Right now, SN Aboitiz is doing an excellent job in advancing the cause to address the problem of environmental degradation. Lately barangay council and Sangguniang Kabataan (youth council) officials in far-flung villages of the capital town as well as nongovernment organizations (NGOs) have aired their support for the initiatives of SN Aboitiz to protect the so-called “last remaining watershed” of Lagawe, indicating that there is still hope to save the town’s all-important watershed. Just that for some!
What impresses me, of course, is that SN Aboitiz is thinking of a long-term approach in licking this longstanding problem. What matters to me at this point of time? It is about a program geared toward integrated watershed management plan to reforest, maintain favorable environmental conditions and to improve the quality and amount of potable water supply for the people.
This will definitely redound to the people of Lagawe folks as this will augment the town’s water resources and generate more interest to improve Lagawe’s water supply.
It would be extremely difficult to ignore Lagawe’s nagging water supply problem. It is absolutely hard not to relate it with its dwindling forest cover. Lagawe is still beset by illegal logging and slash-and-burn farming or “kaingin”- the main causes of deforestation as identified by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. This will get worse since most Lagawe folks feel that “kaingin” is a good practice.
The steps being taken by SN Aboitiz were well-taken and in anticipation of the deterioration of the situation in these endangered watersheds. This explains why tree-planting programs, projects and activities of people’s organizations (POs) are so vital to help in promoting awareness about caring for the environment.
Working towards environmental protection also means a holistic view of progress- of the interdependence of people, their environment and their interaction with the institutions that govern them each day of the week.
Energizing the people on the ground to improve their participation in the decision-making process and community-building is just as essential. It is a step in the right direction in making the ideal of environmental awareness in the grassroots level towards the direction of vigilance really work.
Trees in the watersheds absorb rain water, which in turn is channeled to streams, rivers and consequently dams (if any) where fresh water is sourced. Henceforth, the need to protect trees in watersheds will help improve the quality of water in dams caused by numerus landslides.
As I commend the SN Aboitiz for its noteworthy initiative, let’s pray that its environmental advocacy continues. I’m also lauding Irma Ngabit, also of SN Aboitiz, for manifesting what safeguarding the watersheds means. In my book, she deserves to be conferred an Environmental Awareness Award. Espousing and connecting the large number of mistakes in protecting watersheds to ill-motivated individuals, SN Aboitiz helped mark the beginning of really shielding these watersheds. Thus, its initiative in Lagawe was larger than any previous action.
Climate, soil and the topography of the region easily determine the characteristic trees of a forest. Disturbances such as widespread tree-cutting due to Ifugao folks’ practice of “kaingin” shall result to pitiful consequences, thus, certain sectors or persons should serve as duty-bearers in strengthening long-term sustainability of watershed-related projects.
The officialdom has consistently failed in meeting the challenges of protecting these watersheds. Recognizing the importance of watersheds in supporting the water supply in Lagawe, the municipal government needs to come up with an integrated approach towards sustainable management and protection of the watersheds. How important is this action? Providing present-day generations of Lagawe villagers with a common set of practical and analytical concepts and tools for integrating concerns into development programs and projects is the order of the day. This is a question that comes to mind when one recalls that experience of having waterless days for no reason at all.
Rolling out a “game changing” initiative as this one is perfectly alright. However, ineptness by those in the public sector shall result to unimaginable losses in watershed resources.
It is painful to see about 200 hectares of land in this critical section of Lagawe’s watersheds only being secured by one forest ranger. I don’t think a mere forest ranger is in a position to tackle this difficult job. The municipal government, as in most instances, should of course do a better job of introducing interventions by putting in place increased budgetary allocations to ensure the hiring of more forest rangers and, at the same time, increasing the salary of a forest ranger to entice others to join the workforce. I remain optimistic that through the assistance of the private sector, the government will be able to overcome the problem. Forest rangers are kept afloat by their firm belief that they will achieve their full potential to contribute to a much bigger way to the nation’s socioeconomic growth. No sane forest ranger likes to be working all by himself in such a vast territory.
The March activity indeed helped to prioritize and take appropriate actions on this concern. During the signing ceremonies of a memorandum paper, many applauded SN Aboitiz’s leadership in raising the ante for environmental protection. Small wonder, the trust level of SN Aboitiz is high in this part of the province.
Perhaps the most impressive example of the use of the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) program to meet a wide variety of objectives was the said activity at Mt. Binahagan. It is high time to pursue “Adopt-a-Watershed” project!
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Sadly, the education of voters in Ifugao is not a work in progress. Resources of the government and delivery of basic services should be felt by the people. I’m not hearing it from the candidates.
It is fair to say that most candidates in the province are staying away from discussions of issues. There is a legitimate reason to ask the candidates to engage in debates, but on the other hand, it’s dangerous to conduct a debate because many of them are not even knowledgeable of the vital issues affecting the people.
‘Public service has become “second nature” for the families of seasoned politicians. Their loved ones are complaining of the “little time” given to their families. It’s a tough job, a thankless job, you can’t please everybody.
The position for congressman is a clear example of that. Yet, why do you have five candidates for congressman in Ifugao? I cannot think of a good reason how aspiring for a seat at the House of Representatives will be fulfilling in the context of prevailing conditions when in fact the so-called Priority Development Assistance Funds or PDAF was already scrapped by the Supreme Court. The SC ruled that it was unconstitutional. It was linked to corrupt practices of wayward politicians.
Primarily, the job of the congressman or representative is to craft laws at the lower chamber of Congress. He or she has no business whatsoever in constructing a waiting shed or a farm-to-market road in a barangay.
Briefly, for a better understanding of the foregoing discussion let us take a closer look at the child malnutrition problem in Ifugao. I’ve seen a lot of skeletal, malnourished kids in the province. Many of them are in remote, underserved villages.
Stunting is defined as low height for age and is measured by comparing the height of a child against the international benchmark for a child of the same age.
To my mind, the sight of starving, skeletal children is indeed shocking and devastating. Of course, I’m no longer puzzled. This is because poverty and hunger is worsening. This only shows that there is a pressing need to address the issue of access to food among poor folks. Now, check this out: According to a government data, the prevalence of stunting among Filipino children under 5 years old increased to 33 percent in 2015 from 30 percent in 2013.
So this is just one of the many concerns that the next congressman of Ifugao should be attending to after the May 13, 2019 midterm polls.
Verily, I see the need for the incoming Ifugao congressman to use his intellectual heft to shepherd priority economic and social legislation thru Congress and make the province a better place for its people, investors and tourists.
The next congressman should take the lead in reviving the Ifugao economy. Ifugao is one of the poorest provinces in the Philippines. He should be able to prove that development and good governance go together.
Is there a possibility of attaining this? Absolutely, it is possible! But first, let them engage in a debate. This way the voters of Ifugao get to see who really is fit for the job. It is time to separate the men from the boys. It is high time to segregate the fit from the misfit. You get to know the vision and purposefulness of a candidate only in a debate and not in an annoying and blaring campaign jingle peddled at streets to the delight of incredibly stupid voters.
Now, it’s tempting to ponder the prospect of a better future through a debate. Congressional hopefuls former governor Atty. Eugene Balitang, former congressman Atty. Solomon Chungalao, former Kiangan mayor Jonathan Cuyahon, incumbent governor Atty. Pedro Mayam-o and former Department of Transportation regional director Timmy Mondiguing- go for it! It’s high time one of you issued the first challenge. And stand up for the people’s welfare. For sure, a chance like this don’t come by every day and so don’t squander it. Go through a debate! Where one leads, others will just follow!
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Belated Easter Sunday and advanced Labor Day greetings to all!
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For our food delights corner: Let’s have potato salad and water melon for a snack. Just be generous with mayonnaise on your salad. Don’t forget to have chilled buko (coconut) juice. Enjoy summer with these great delights!
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Finally, a thought for our readers: “My armor will help you stand against the plans of the enemy” Eph 6:11 **
