CEBU, June 30 (PIA) – A farmer’s group in Oslob town, southern Cebu is reaping the benefits of the government’s National Greening Program (NGP) as it expressed gratitude to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR-7) for its support and assistance.
Timoteo Miras, president of the Tumalog-Daanlungod-Cañang Upland Farmers Association, Inc. (TUDALCUFA) based in Oslob bared they have gained in implementing the government’s National Greening Program (NGP) since 2011.
Members of the TUDALCUFA is said to earn from P2,000 to P 3,000 per month depending upon the harvests of the fruit-bearing trees they planted. The fruit-bearing seedlings were provided to them by the DENR-7.
Miras said that since supporting the NGP four years ago, they have earned from the fruits of their labor as well as helping make their communities safer.
TUDALCUFA members usually plant 50 seedlings in the morning and the same number in the afternoon during planting season and even during sunny days, nurturing the trees until harvest time, said Miras.
Miras said they are now promoting the planting of Ipil-Ipil trees throughout the area. “After five to six years, Ipil-ipil trees can be sold in the market as firewood contributing to the additional income of the members”, Miras said.
Miras said he looks forward to planting more trees on 397 hectares this year in various barangays in Oslob such as Tumalog, Daanlungsod and Cañang.
Marlon Gunsal, a TUDALCUFA member expressed his gratitude to President Aquino and the DENR-7 for the NGP as the program really helped him earn a source of living allowing him to support his family’s needs.
“Nagpasalamat jud ko naay programa sama niani nga nakatabang namo pagbuhi sa among pamilya,” (I am very thankful that there is a program such as this as this has helped provide for our family) said Gunsal.
Miras said the DENR-7 has tremendously assisted them and that by paying for every seedling that was planted and nurtured until these grew, has financially capacitated the organization.
“Through the earnings made and savings incurred from the budget given by the DENR-7, we were able to buy an Isuzu truck two years ago. This has helped us be more productive in distributing more seedlings to various barangays for planting”, Miras said.
Miras said they are regularly conducting seminars and other information dissemination activities to the barangays to promote environmental awareness and push local residents to plant more trees to cover denuded forests. - PIA