This entry was posted on 6/21/2007 9:54 AM and is filed under uncategorized.
While doing research with SAMMILIA in
Lianga, Surigao del Sur, about 30 minutes ride away from its office, I came across
a small parcel of area managed by a relatively small community under the same
instrument. The DAVISOL community are known for their fine woodcraft and furniture,
a beautiful stone contour landscape and lush mangrove forest, which they
maintained and protected for many years now.
I saw the signboard stating their CBFM
number and realized that it was only 870 hectares; barely 1.5% compared to the
area covered by SAMMILIA at 59,000 hectares. In almost the same location, I got
myself the biggest and one of the smallest CBFMs in the country.
This CBFMA holder is a religious foundation
who calls themselves Divine Arc Victory Instituted in Sion Omnipotent in this
Later Days of Christ or DAVISOL Christi foundation. The group was formed in
1970 through a spiritual revelation experienced by their founder, Godofredo
Retuerto who is now respectfully called Pater Fred. It started in Pigsag-an,
Cagayan de Oro city where Fred used to reside. Later they transferred here in Lianga.
They occupied and manage the land that used to be a concession area of a
Taiwanese.
According to Fred, the Taiwanese cut mangkuno
trees (Philippine ironwood) which is endemic in the area but did not transport
any logs from their concession here. The community and other groups in the area
suspected the Taiwanese as treasure hunters and they were after of treasure
rather than timber business. After they allegedly got the treasures, they left
the area leaving the felled Mangkuno timbers in the area.
The group maintained and managed the area
before the issuance of CBFMA. They establish contour using stones and planted
trees along these contour. They protected the mangroves and planted more of it
in the vacant shore. They also protected marine resources by prohibiting
destructive fishing activities in their area.
After a few years of effective resource
management, the DENR encouraged them to apply for the CBFM program. Under the
program, their utilization of the felled mangkuno logs for woodcraft and
furniture making is now legal. The community continued to use the mangkuno logs
left by the previous concession. Most of these logs were sunken deep in the
sand along the shore while some are just at the ground surface. They use almost
all the parts of the logs-from small branches, to the trunks and down to the
roots for handcraft and furniture.
The well-planned and collective efforts of
the community are evident in the landscape. The community established fish
cages that now support the community’s livelihood. As part of their resource
protection and conservation, the community continuously planted mangrove and
prevent any poachers from cutting these mangroves. Today, the mangrove and the
forest are very much captivating not only as a conservation area but also as a
tourist destination. Both exist in a self-sustaining community enterprise.
As I was about to leave the area, I thought
about the contrast between the large claim of SAMMILIA and small DAVISOL area.
Could a comparative analysis between the big and small CBFM be a key to
understanding dynamics and eventually lead us to improve CBFM policy?
