The author with AGAP-Bulusan president Mr. Philip Bartilet |
Entrance to Bulusan Volcano Natural Park (BVNP) |
At Bulusan Volcano Natural Park (BVNP), I
met up and interviewed, over a cup of brewed coffee and pili snacks, environment
activist Philip G. Bartilet, the president of Aggrupation for Advocates for
Environmental Protection (AGAP)-Bulusan, Inc. and past president (2010-2011) of
the Philippine Ecotourism Guides Association.
He is also the Municipal Tourism Officer of Bulusan town.
He is also the Municipal Tourism Officer of Bulusan town.
AGAP-Bulusan, working
hand-in-hand with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), protects and
conserves biodiversity of the BVNP through Project PRESERVE (Participate
Reforestation with Ecological Support, Education and Research to Validate the
Ecosystems) which was launched in Lake Bulusan last October 31, 2011. Philip
explained that the project was approved and funded by the Global Environmental
Facility, Small Grants Program Philippines, United Nations Development
Program (GEF SGP) of the UNDP.
Its initial goal is to organized and mobilize communities within the BVNP as a participatory mechanism
to mainstream biodiversity conservation in the local policies and
resource-based management plans of people's organizations (POs) and government
institutions.
Second, it aims to harness
the efforts of multi-sectoral representation from the 6 barangays within the
BVNP to organize themselves into environmental biodiversity para-legal
protection units focusing on research, monitoring teams and organizing illegal fishers
as eco-guides and rangers promoting alternative sustainable livelihood.
It also aims to rehabilitate, within 2 years, the denuded, 50-hectare
biodiversity habitat and maintain the surrounding ecosystems and eco-tourism
attractions within the BVNP-Bulusan area via seedling propagation. At
least 20,450 agro-forestry seedling (pili, cacao, coffee, etc.) and 6,000
endemic hardwoods and watershed seedlings were planted in 6 identified barangay
nurseries within the park area.
Philip, the author and Bernard. Behind are watercraft (kayaks, water trikes) acquired by AGAP-Bulusan, Inc. |
Third, it aims to establish
poverty alleviation mechanisms through the provision of eco-livelihood
support.
This project, according to Philip, will provide an alternative source of
livelihood to persons who have been continuously conducting illegal activities
within the area, to totally refrain from such activities and eventually become
the first persons to take care of the rich biodiversity of the BVNP as they
will be trained to become eco-tourism guides (who will later become accredited
guides of the Department of Tourism) or be deputized by the Department of
Environment & Natural Resource (DENR) as forest rangers and Wildlife
Environmental Officers (WEOs) with monthly compensation benefits.
In a
plan presented by Philip, sustainable para-technical training will be provided,
both on agriculture and aquaculture development, with 42 participants coming
from the 6 barangays within the area.
Fourth, it aims to heighten
the level of environment awareness of the primary stakeholders, particularly
biodiversity conservation and sustainable management of the BVNP-Bulusan area.
The PRESERVE group will conduct a Dalaw Turo, with 8 courses that
will focus on the environmental biodiversity richness of the BVNP, how it
should be conserved and the bright prospects of the BVNP as a prime tourism destination.
It will also provide an impact study to heighten environmental
initiatives so that stakeholders will become more value-driven rather than
economy-driven. They will also publish biodiversity conservation
materials, manuals and learning guides as information education
materials.
The end goal of the project
is to conduct comprehensive research on biodiversity and other environmental
management-related studies and establish a data repository of the BVNP-Bulusan
area. This will include a monthly monitoring and inventory of flora and
fauna of the BVNP, with the help of the academe who will provide an ecological
profile of the resources of the 6 barangays within the BVNP.
AGAP-Bulusan is also working
on their proposal for a Canopy Walk and the
Zip Tour (a variant of the zip
line), a more affordable alternative while a feasibility study for cable
cars is being considered. Aside from these, wall
climbing, rappelling and adventure rope courses are also being
considered. Together with the DOT Region V Office, LGU Bulusan and Wild BOARS
(Bulusan Outdoors Adventures and Recreational Sports) Philippines, they are
also organizing the 2012 Bulusan Triple Loop Eco Trail (Team Relay) Running
Challenge Cup this July, a 3, 5 and 10-km. run along the periphery of Lake
Bulusan and newer, challenging trails on the regular 21-km. Bulusan Eco Trail
Running Cup.
AGAP-Bulusan, Inc.: Bulusan
Social Development Center (BSDC) Bldg., 262 Sesbreno St., Brgy. Dapdap,
Sorsogon City, Sorsogon. Mobile number: (0918) 457-8767 and (0908)
896-8826 (Mr. Philip Bartilet).
E-mail: agapbulusan@yahoo.com.ph.
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