Gina leads marshland greening program, vows to make Maguindanao bamboo producing wetlands

PANDAG,
Maguindanao – Environment Secretary Gina Lopez found Maguindanao
marshland very rich and promising and thought of an idea that will boost the government
peace efforts in Mindanao – make the marshland bamboo producing wetlands.

Lopez, visited
Maguindanao Wednesday, met with local leaders and vowed to make the 220,000
hectares doubly productive so people will be at peace.

People here
should not be fighting, she said in her talk with local leaders. We will transform this once blood-filled
marshy area into an economic growth area, she added as the crowd, led by
Maguindanao Gov. Esmael Toto Mangudadatu, Army and Moro rebel leaders, roared.

Lopez led the
launching of Sustainable Integrated Area Development (SAID) program in Buluan
town with a P21 million funds for massive bamboo and mangrove production around
the marshland.

I am very
glad to see government soldiers and Moro rebels sit side by side when the last
time I know of Maguindanao was Army and MILF trade bullets most of the time,
she said in Filipino.

Elated by what
she personally witnessed, Lopez called on Army commanders and MILF leaders on
stage to take oath and like a charismatic cheer leader, they shouted hurray
to signify unity.

Lopez was pushing
the Liguasan dwellers to be a model community where people will soon earn from
the bamboo industry while greening program continues to prosper under
sustainable development framework.

Before heading
to a planting ceremony in Pandag town, Lopez lectured on various successful models
of sustainable development like the Sohoton community in Surigao del Norte
disturbed by mining activities.

Lopez pointed
there is no need to destroy biodiversity to achieve development and bring
livelihood to the people like what mining firms have been doing.

There is
tremendous biodiversity in Liguasan marsh like medicinal plants, very rich
agriculture and tons of fish, we are urging you all to protect the marsh, the
country’s environment icon told the residents.

From the
bamboo by products, we can start up various livelihood, we will help you up to
the marketing of these products, Lopez assured Maguindanaons.

Mayor Zamzamin
Ampatuan of Rajah Buayan town, where the pilot area and nursery of the bamboo
and mangrove propagation program is located, said the program will bring hope
for the people who have long been looking for windows of opportunity.

Soon we will
make our town the bamboo capital of the province or maybe the whole country. We
recognize the increasing area of banana plantation and those plants need a lot
of bamboo poles for support (from strong winds brought by heavy fruit load),
and that’s where we come in, Ampatuan said.

He added that
the effort also will help mitigated the climate change impact of heavy siltation
from Ala river where flood waters and silts are dumped in towns surrounding the
marsh.

Butch Malang,
MILF representative during Lopez visit, was visibly delighted about the latest
development for the people the MILF was fighting for.

These are
manifestations of looming development of the area, I hope this will continue
and I pray for its success, Malang shared to Lopez who respondedand Just no
more fighting, we’ll surely gonna help you. Around 60
percent of the residents are living in the poverty line in Maguindanao. Mangudadatu
said he hoped to reduce poverty incidents in the province by 35 percent.

We are
expecting women groups to earn from bamboo products, the farmers also will add
this to their income and by that there is no more reason to be involved in any
form of skirmishes, either by rido (family feud) or rebellion because people
are busy earning a living, Mangudadatu said. (Ferdinandh Cabrera)