What difference can a forest give


Maasin, Iloilo
September 19, 2015

The pictures here  were taken on September 12, 2015 at the dam, Brgy. Daja, Maasin, Iloilo, at the 16th Pista sa Kakahuyan, a ceremonial tree planting.

The pictures of Tigum River, especially of bamboo poles tied together into a raft navigating downstream until the "auction area" where they are stockpiled and sold to buyers for transport to Iloilo City.

In 1994, when Iloilo Governor Arthur D. Defensor, Sr. accepted the challenge from a lobby group formed by then Army Col. Victor Corpus that Maasin Watershed was in critical shape and may not soon deliver water. If denudation continued, Corpus warned, the Metro Iloilo Water District (MIWD) could no longer deliver water to taps of residents of Iloilo City by 2000.

That same year, the Iloilo Provincial Government started the first ceremonial tree planting to spread public awareness while the actual planting would be done by job hires from saplings supplied by nurseries of the provincial government and private growers.

Tigum River used to be navigable before. Deforestation dried up its springs. In 1994, at the first ceremonial tree planting, it still was too shallow to deliver  bamboo poles that craftsmen of the town turn into baskets, drying mats, building materials. Lately, the town manufactures raw bamboo into toothpicks, chopsticks and skewers or barbeque sticks.

The pictures of "balsa" (bamboo poles tied into rafts) being navigated downstream and stockpiled for the market tells one thing: the reforestation program began 16 years ago works. Streams and springs bounced back to life and Tigum River, the source of potable water for Iloilo City and adjacent towns, is now alive.

















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