PHILIPPINES, Municipality of Murcia, Negros Occidental - January 2008
Hydraulic ram pump water system in support of the protection of 4,942 acres of forest
Click photo to enlarge
In 1992, the Philippine Government enacted the National Integrated Protected Areas System Act, which designated "biologically important public lands that are habitats of rare and endangered species". Unfortunately, very little community consultation occurred in the process, so there is scant, if any, grassroots support for some of the protected areas. One of the areas so designated is Northern Negros Island in the Western Visayas Region. The Municipality of Murcia is located within the North Negros Forest Reserve and Mt. Kanlaon Natural Park. Illegal logging, slash and burn farming, and indiscriminate hunting persist as threats to the "protected area." Now three barangays (villages) in the Municipality of Murcia - Barangays Canlandog, Santa Cruz and Buenavista - are collectively willing to commit themselves to protecting 4,942 acres of watershed forest area adjacent to their villages for 30 years, in exchange for the installation of a hydraulic ram pump water system. Under this proposed project, Alternative Indigenous Development Foundation, Inc. (AIDFI) will install hydraulic ram pumps to provide water for sanitation, hygiene, washing clothes, eating and drinking to the communities. *
UPDATE May 2008 - In February and March 2008 Alternative Indigenous Development Foundation (AIDFI) met with local government officers and held community meetings to discuss the details of the project. The Local Government and Provincial Environment and Management Office have both indicated their support for the project either in terms of additional funds or conservation support. Individuals within the communities were chosen for equipment repair and maintenance training, and the first set of materials were purchased and delivered for the Barangay Canlandog system. Construction at all sites is scheduled through March 2009. A Biodiversity Monitoring and Evaluation meeting is planned for May 2008 so that community members can continue discussions on the specifics of the forest reserve protection and conservation plan.
*Support for asterisked projects is provided fully or in part by the
Nu
Skin Enterprises Force for Good Foundation
